The Stuttering Stallion
by Aquatic-Idealist
Summary: This man was Jiang Wei's rival. His origins were humble, but he rose to become one of Wei's finest generals. With compassion and strategy he was loved and feared by many. His tactics saved countless lives among his friends and foes. This is his story.
1. The Joys of Youth

The Stuttering Stallion

Chapter 1: The Joy of Youth

He nervously sat at his desk, tapping his fingers against the table's smooth surface. He was only a boy, a fifteen year old native of Ru Nan. He wasn't born there, no, but he'd lived there long enough to consider himself a native. He knew the streets of that city better than anyone.

But today, he wasn't being tested on geography. This test wasn't about the quickest way to reach the market from the other end of the city, or how to haggle your way through the various vendors and thus take advantage of their competition. No, this was the test that would determine your worth as a human being.

Deng Ai glanced nervously at his paper. His black hair was quickly covered in sweat. His brown eyes were so fixated on the sheet that they were beginning to tear, and his palms were covered in torrents of sweat that threatened to jeopardize his previous answers. His hand shook violently as he held his brush. One wrong stroke could close the curtains for him.

His eyes darted to the other boy sitting next to him. That kid's expression was much more calm, much more focused, and much less uneasy. Deng Ai shuddered a little, was it the examiner's intention to test one's calmness as well as one's intelligence?

He scribbled a bit on the blank scrap of parchment the wardens gave them, just to allow these young students to brainstorm for their eventual answers to the questions on the test. Deng wasn't sure if he was approaching the problem in the correct way, but no matter what, it was better to jot down some thoughts and start solving other problems then to simply get panicked and stuck on one problem that would drain those precious minutes of exam time.

The boy's eyebrows lowered a bit when he thought harder about the test. Seriously, since when was he going to use this stuff? They were testing him on the lives of ancient scholars who lived at least three hundred years before him, some of these men lived long before the Han Dynasty even existed. His fellow Chinese countrymen were probably wearing furs and wandering around aimlessly in the woods while some of these guys were sitting down and pondering things.

But this exam determined what one's future would be. If you failed it, you'd have to retake the exam in another two years, and in the meantime, you'd probably get disowned by your clan and thrown out into the forest. Deng Ai personally knew of several ancestors who had this misfortune. A few of them even had their names erased from the pedigree because they failed one silly exam.

Deng's father became an official, but he was a simple border patrolman, all because he received seventy points out of the allotted one hundred on this exam. Anything less and he'd probably would have had to settle for being the clerk and unofficial servant for some fat, lazy, rich oaf of a bureaucrat who'd make his life hell. Deng's grandfather failed the exam on his first and second tries, and it took a third to make him the Governor of Xia Cai, some minor city stuck in the middle of nowhere.

And now it was Deng Ai's turn to feel the burn. His aunt was lucky, because she was a woman, those arrogant examiners believed that she did not have the capability to take the exam. All she could hope to be was some common housewife for a fat, poor farmer who was too lazy to grow anything but beans. But today, Deng Ai wished he was a girl, because then he wouldn't have to take this lousy excuse for an exam.

He sat there, his teeth grinding against each other in dread, filling out each problem with tremendous speed. It was up to Heaven to determine whether he'd pass or fail now... Deng Ai's mind was too burnt out to even think of cheating or double-checking. He just wanted to get this torture over with...

He scribbled, and scribbled, and scratched intensely at the table, until the examiner ordered the boy to give him the exam.

* * *

"You passed!" His mother let out a shrill yelp of joy one morning, after having forced the boy awake.

"Oh, great. Give me a medal, will you?" Deng Ai rolled his eyes, slowly getting out of bed.

"Do not act like that! You are not being a dutiful son!" His mother scowled, but it quickly became a smile. "But you passed! Now you can finally make something of yourself. Those stupid townspeople, always claiming that you'd go nowhere with your frequent stuttering and your apparent lack of concern for the rest of the world. But you passed, and I can show them that I, as a single mother, can raise a talented son like any man!" His mother beamed. "Now, Shizai, you'd better hurry to Master Bang. He'll probably be furious if you're late." She swiftly kicked him out of the house and into the streets.

Deng Ai dragged his feet along as he lazily lurched towards the Master's cottage. Bang Tou was a pedantic, pompous prick who believed that he was the smartest man alive. He assured parents that his teachings would turn even the most pathetic of children into geniuses. Unfortunately, the entire city believed that he was some glorious sage, so they brought many of their children to see him. Bang Tou eagerly let children into his abode, and kicked them out just as readily. Deng Ai had only stayed because his mother had paid Bang a hefty sum... Which unfortunately did not involve money.

Deng could hardly forgive his mother for the move. Why would she do such a dishonorable thing? Well, Madam Deng was a proud woman. Ever since her husband died, she was the one who cared for their son and who moved them both to Ru Nan from that wretched Xia Cai. If sacrificing her honor and purity was necessary to make herself seem even more amazing (a woman raising one of Bang Tou's finest pupils, for instance), she'd eagerly do it. After all, she was a widow and her life was rather boring at night.

His mother had spat on his father's grave in order to make herself look like a genius, Deng Ai thought bitterly, yet as her son it was his filial duty to respect and honor her, putting her needs above his own. Shizai couldn't stand this humiliation, but, hey, it wasn't like he had any say on the matter.

* * *

Bang Tou's blubber covered the doorway when he opened the door to greet Deng Ai. "Ah, Deng Ai, you're late." His eyes narrowed.

Deng Ai simply stared back at him: "S-sorry s-sir..." He stammered. Goddamn it, why did he have to stutter at that moment? He could have easily just said something with much more confidence, but he just had to stutter...

Bang Tou laughed, a laugh that could hardly be mistaken for a respectful response, and let Deng Ai into his cottage. Nine other students were already there, eagerly awaiting Bang Tou's brainwashing with his stupid "You create your own reality" lecture. Wasn't that obvious? Who else creates your reality? The Emperor? Heaven? Your neighbor? That fish you just ate? No, you! Deng Ai mentally snickered as he pondered the idiocy of it all.

* * *

A few hours later, Bang Tou had finished his lecture and spoke to his students. "Those of you who took the exam and passed, well, you could head off and start a new life for yourselves, or you could simply stay here and continue to listen to my ingenious lectures! I'm sure you know what path you must choose."

Deng Ai blinked. Was that old fart serious? Deng Shizai of Ru Nan could actually leave this wretched sewer of a discussion table and make a name of himself? Then why was he still here? The moment Bang finished talking, Deng Ai stood up and began to walk for the door. "Forget it, you simpleton! Scum without backbones such as you will never achieve much in your life!"

Deng Ai turned, mentally prepared himself, and yelled to his tormentor. "You can see the filth that covers others, but can you see the filth you've become? I'm not going to waste my time here anymore. Good riddance, you pathetic windbag, and someday you will know of the great Deng Ai!" Shizai raised his head up high and marched out of the cottage.

* * *

"You stupid boy! Do you know what I had to do in order to...? Well, that wasn't so bad..." Deng Ai's mother stopped her tirade for a moment to blush, but quickly assumed an angry face. "Nonetheless, you were supposed to become Bang Tou's greatest pupil, the boy who would turn from a good for nothing into a genius thanks to his teachings! You were supposed to..." Deng Ai finished packing, and turned to face his furious mother, who was blocking the doorway, trying to keep him from leaving.

"I do not care. I don't care what you were planning to do with that pathetic excuse for a human being, and I am no longer your servant. I might not have been a dutiful enough son, but you have gone too far. What widow in her right mind would eagerly sleep with a... A Thing like Bang in order to give herself some glorious name? You had a duty to raise me like an honorable mother and honor your husband's memory, but you eagerly sacrificed your purity and spat on my father's grave when you had that night of pleasure with that freak. Furthermore, you forced me to deal with that pseudo-intellectual's ramblings that have no value whatsoever. I'm sick of you. I don't care what people will think of this. You are a sick person whose shallow urge for glory has ruined your very soul. Mother, I'm leaving, and there's nothing you can do to make me stay. Good bye and I wish you the best of luck. For trust me, if you intend to continue sleeping with that bastard, well, you'll need it." Shizai turned and walked off into the distance... As a final note, his mother promptly burned his name off of the pedigree. No one needs a son like that.

* * *

Author's note: This fic tries to be as historical as it possibly can with the few records of its time. Deng Ai's mother might have been a rather noble woman, but considering the suffering Deng Ai had as a child, and how that suffering caused him to seek refuge in Sima Yi's hands, I doubt that she was that supportive of him. The general might be twisting in his grave thanks to how I've painted his mom, but, hey, there's so little we know about these people, and this is a fanfic, so I'll do what I want.


	2. Understanding

Chapter 2: Understanding

Sima Yi was rather bored.

The scholars of Wei were well versed in the art of flattery. They knew how to make even the most pathetic of simpletons feel like a god. After all, with oafs like Xu Zhu as comrades, they had to use flattery in order to avoid getting their skulls crushed.

But Sima Yi got tired of flattery long ago. He knew he was the best, and there was no point for people to be constantly reminding him. After all, how could he forget that he was the strategist that kept Wei alive, no matter how smart Jia Xu was?

Liu Ye, Cheng Yu, Jia Kui, these men were also quite talented, but they continued to flatter their superior. There were times when Sima Yi wished that they'd get to the point for once and actually say something worthwhile, instead of stating the obvious fact that Zhongda was far superior to any of them.

The mastermind of Wei glanced about at the ceiling. The painter he hired to paint the murals that covered that formerly boring, wooden surface did a good job. There were dragons soaring high in a sea of clouds, at least, based on that painting. It was much more entertaining than hearing a typical Wei tactician convention. Sima Yi stepped away from his fellow strategists to appreciate the blanket of stars that covered the space above his head. Apparently, the artist was trying to show the transition from day to night, via a ceiling painting. If you walked northwardly, you'd see the sun rise, the beauty of noontime, and you'd find it set to reveal the blanket of stars and the mysterious crescent moon. If you walked in the opposite direction, you'd see night turn into day.

Cheng Yu grabbed onto Sima Yi's robe. "But, master, your glorious demeanor outshines us all..." He stammered. Sima Yi turned to his colleague and smiled. "I know, now is there any new information you'd like to tell me?"

"Well..." It was Jia Xu's turn to step forward. "Lord Sima Yi, several youths have been requesting job applications to be your personal secretary."

"Interesting... Ever since that last one was poisoned by Jia Fan, I've found the need for a new one. Bring them to my chamber. I'll have to inspect each one personally." Sima Yi smirked.

Jia Xu's eyebrow twitched. He blinked, shook his head, and shuddered a little... He hoped he wasn't hearing right. (1.)

* * *

Deng Ai entered the older strategist's chamber, warily, of course. He'd seen many other scholars get thrown out quite readily by the picky Sima Yi. The boy Sima Yi wanted for a clerk would have to be a clever and skilled person, who would be able to do many tasks at once and prove to Zhongda that he was worthy of Sima Yi's wisdom. Deng Ai knew that many kids who showed an arrogant face were almost immediately banished from Sima Yi's presence. Sima Yi knew that he was the greatest, and if any other person dared to act superior in front of them, well, they were asking to be decapitated.

Deng Ai wanted to keep his head, for sure, so when he entered Sima Yi's room, he made it a point to stumble slightly, as though he tripped over a pebble or something. The more he made himself look pathetic, the less Sima Yi would find him a threat. Afterwards, if he proved his talents, Sima Yi would probably think more highly of him.

Zhongda saw the boy stumble the moment he entered his tent, and smirked. It looked deliberate, as though it was planned. No one would unintentionally move like that. It just wasn't natural. Sima Yi knew that this lad was planning something, and apparently it was along the lines of "appearing meek." Sima Yi nodded. A person who observed the situation and planned accordingly had the markings of a tactician. But to be a worthy strategist, Deng Ai would have to show Sima Yi much more than that!

"So..." Zhongda began, his eyes glaring right into the depths of Deng Ai's mind. "I hear you passed the official examination with very high marks. But that's nothing unique. Of the three hundred thousand youths who took the exam, forty thousand passed and two hundred got marks as good or better than yours. What makes you so much better than those other two hundred?"

"To t-tell the truth..." Deng Ai began, trying to keep himself calm. "I... I d-d-didn't think I p-passed initially. Twas l-luck I sup-p-pose..." He stammered. Sima Yi smirked. "Luck? My, my, what a lucky boy you were, eh? But seriously, you're here because you're looking for this position. Tell me, what other things can you do?"

Deng Ai kept a perfectly serious expression. "I can juggle, whistle with my pinkies, pat my head, rub my stomach, and scratch my..." (2.)

"If you'd start to get serious..." Sima Yi's eyebrows narrowed, though Deng Ai could tell that Sima Yi liked the lad. Zhongda's eyes betrayed him.

"Ahem..." Deng Ai cleared his throat. "I can play the erhu." (3.)

"Really? What else?"

"Let's see, I've had the fortune of reading the Chuang-Tzu, and, well, I find that many of my peers don't seem to understand me."

Sima Yi scoffed. "Many people feel the same way... Do you truly think that you're the only one?"

Deng Ai's cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. "I... Er... C-could also tell you what I don't know..." The boy stared intently into the man's eyes. He had to see what Zhongda's reaction would be.

Sima Yi smiled and nodded. There was an old Confucian saying: "He who is truly wise knows what he does not know." "He's testing me..." Sima Yi thought. "This boy is seeing how well read I am. What confidence! Perhaps he will be a worthy disciple after all."

"Very well then, lad. There's no need to tell me that. I'm sure you wouldn't feel pleasant if you did. Here, meet me in a week." Zhongda handed the younger man a slip of paper. "Show my secretary that slip or she'll kick you out."

Deng Ai nodded. "Th-thank you kindly, sir."

Sima Yi smiled. "No need to thank me, kid. I should be thanking you."

* * *

A week later, Deng Ai entered Sima Yi's office and found two other boys sitting around as well. One of them looked at Deng Ai, pointed and laughed. "So it's you!"

"Zhong Hui. Funny seeing you around." Deng Ai raised an eyebrow.

Zhong Hui was the son of Zhong Yao, a well known tactician of Cao Pi's army. Yao had helped Cao Pi put down numerous uprisings by the disenfranchised peasants of the northern plains. (4.) Because his father was so great, Zhong Hui was given a great childhood and the opportunity to become great. He eagerly took his chance and, in Bang Tou's academy, would despise Deng Ai for his stuttering and his eccentricities. But Zhong Hui, like Deng Ai, recently left Bang Tou's care to make something of himself as well.

"So what, did your mother 'convince' Sima Yi to let you in too?" Zhong Hui laughed.

A vein nearly burst in Deng Ai's forehead. "Shut up, y-you f-f-fag..."

Zhong Hui lept out of his chair. "Don't you dare!" He pointed his finger at Deng Ai. "Don't you dare, peasant! I am the son of Zhong Yao. A nobleman! Who was your father? Some minor official. Your mother is a whore, and gave her purity to give filth like you a chance!"

"At l-least I d-d-don't shove m-my nose high in the air like you do. Unlike you, I have d-dignity! Leave me alone, wretched dog!"

The third kid merely sat there, observing the other two. Both boys knew him immediately. His name was Sima Wang. He was a nephew of Sima Yi and was well known for being quiet and thoughtful. Zhong Hui turned to Sima Wang. "Come, friend, help me remind this peasant that he should know his place."

Sima Wang smiled. "Actually, he should be telling you to know your place."

"What?"

"You heard me. What gives you the right to insult his mother, or give him a hard time? He worked just as hard as the two of us, and apparently my uncle thinks rather highly of him. What gives you the right to put him down simply because he wasn't born in a noble clan? If anything, you insult the Zhong clan with such arrogance."

"How... How dare you?!"

"You should ask yourself that question. What gives you the right to insult your clan so?"

Zhong Hui was fuming, but he could not find a good answer to that question. The boy scoffed and turned away.

Deng Ai turned to Sima Wang. "Thank you."

"No need. You were in the right. It's the duty of a gentlemen to assist those who are following the path of righteousness. He was the one at fault, so he deserved that scolding." (5.)

At that moment, the door to Sima Yi's personal chambers opened and Sima Yi's secretary asked Zhong Hui to enter. The boy came out ten minutes later, furious and glaring back at Zhongda's office. Sima Wang then entered, leaving Deng Ai alone in the lobby, and walked out half an hour later, giving Deng Ai a smile. "He's in a rather bad mood, I'm afraid... Good luck!" Sima Wang spoke and trudged away with a bowed head. Deng Ai sighed, rather nervous, and entered.

Sima Yi sat at his desk, his eyes staring straight ahead, when Deng Ai entered the room. "Sit down." Zhongda commanded. Deng Ai was forced to comply.

Sima Yi once again stared into Deng Ai's eyes. "Answer me this: Who is the most unfortunate person in this world?"

"That's rather vague..." Deng Ai mumbled.

"That's not a valid answer." Sima Yi's eyes narrowed.

Deng Ai stared back at Sima Yi. "He who has lost a purpose in life, who is forced to wander about searching for some meaning and who never finds it, is who is the most unfortunate..."

Sima Yi smiled. "Finally, someone understands it. Even my own nephew, whom I think rather highly of, answered me with: 'He who has never been loved.' You can be loved, and still have no purpose in life. Though somebody loves you, your worth to everyone else is the same as a common worm. You have no purpose for living. As a human being, who is capable of so much, you cannot contribute a thing, so you are useless, even if someone else cares for your survival. Those people are the most unfortunate." (6.)

Deng Ai blinked. Sima Yi seemed to be so happy that he'd figured it out. "Deng Ai of Ru Nan. I hereby ask that you act as my personal secretary. It's been a year since I've found someone who shares these views with me. Finally, I've met someone who understands my thoughts! You are a worthy disciple, and I will teach you all I know. There is a man whom I want you to meet: he lives in the far south, and I want to show him how great you are... I want to prove to him that I can find a great student just like him...! Come, Deng Ai, do you accept my offer?"

Deng Ai thought of all those years he'd been ridiculed by his peers. He thought of those times when they called him an idiot for his stuttering and his wandering about. He'd run into trees absentmindedly and they'd call him retarded and claim that he had the intelligence of a dying squirrel. The boy smiled and looked Sima Yi in the eye: "Yes."

* * *

1. Jia Fan was the doctor who tried to poison Cao Cao and was eventually caught. He was Dong Cheng's friend. I don't remember if Sima Yi was around at that time or how Jia Fan's name is actually spelled, but I'm too lazy to check... :)

2. There is no intention of fan copyright infringement. Nonjon, you are a genius for writing that fic "You Did What!" The best Harry Potter fanfic ever!

3. I remember mentioning this in Begonia of the South. The Erhu is a Chinese instrument that resembles the cello... In a way... Just not nearly as big (it's about the size of a viola.)

4. These were the sort of people who made the bulk of the Yellow Turban army. FYI, I actually like the Yellow Turban spirit in that only a government who truly cares for the people is worthy to exist. The time of the Yellow Turbans was a time when the government, full of corrupt ministers, were ignoring the needs of the people, so, in essence, I support the Yellow Turbans in general, even if Zhang Jiao was a manipulative jerk who wanted power for himself.

5. Alright, let me clear this up. Deng Ai did not meet Sima Wang so soon. This fic is a fic of pure passion. I am writing this fic completely because I want to, and I will not respond to begs for updates. Reviews, as always, are met with my deepest thanks, but begs for updates will not be obliged, and, furthermore, are unnecessary. I wanted to write this fic since the day I came to this fandom, and I have no intention of not completing it. Now, there will be several historical inaccuracies, though this fic tries to be the novelization of Deng Ai's life, his biography, with a twist at the end. This will be as historically correct as possible, but will contain several historical inaccuracies. I'm sure you guys didn't come here to read a history book, and I'm too lazy to write one, so here you have it. I honestly hope that you enjoy this fic, for I plan to make it much better than Begonia, since, to me, the later chapters of Begonia were rather below par.

6. This is not necessarily what most people think. This apparently is what Sima Yi thinks, and what Deng Ai knows he should say in order to please Sima Yi. Don't worry, we won't act like some stupid lamb in the end, Deng Shizai is his own man, and he will reveal his true nature very soon.


	3. Compassion

Chapter 3: Compassion

He wandered through the town of An Feng, completely unfamiliar with his surroundings. Those treacherous escorts! Sima Yi ordered them to guide him along the convoy, stopping at this Fort to drop off the package, then to continue trading and finally return to the capital, but they abandoned him! Now Deng Ai was lost in an unfamiliar place, and the people here spoke an accent too strong for him to understand.

He walked about, observing the people here. Too often the peasantry would complain that those higher up on life's pecking order ignored them and disregarded their existence. To be a great minister, one must observe the people, note their hardships, and help make their lives easier. After all, Governments were made on the people's behalf.

Deng Ai's eyes scanned the various vendors. Some of the people looked pale, and others were buying medicine from the pharmacist who sat in his own shop booth, with shelves full of medicines behind him. Deng Ai also saw that the town cemetery was quite large. Clearly, some plague had befallen this town, and the people were disheartened and worried because of it.

Their eyes of sorrow pierced his heart, and the young scholar trudged away. Maybe it was a good for him to get lost here. Otherwise he would never have seen this sorrowful town. He had to tell Sima Yi what happened here, or those pained eyes would never soften.

A young child ran up to Deng Ai, and looked into his eyes. The young man stared down at the boy, who looked at Deng Ai pleadingly. A woman ran towards the boy and grabbed him by the collar. "I am so sorry, sir..." She smiled embarrassingly. The young man noticed that both woman and child were wearing rags that could hardly keep them warm on winter days like this one. Deng Ai's robe kept him warm from the cold, but certainly they weren't so lucky. A pang of guilt surged through his heart. So this was how these peasants were living! Truly, these conditions were nothing to be proud of. Sima Yi had to know!

* * *

The young warrior continued to search about, but couldn't seem to find any wagon that would take him back to the capital. Many of the nobles here were part of a growing number who detested Sima Yi, so seeing his student wouldn't improve their sentiments any.

Deng Ai felt so forlorn. Here he was, in such a depressing town, but no one would lend a hand to help him get back home. It was at this time when an aged man, who looked mid-forties, walked past the young apprentice.

The man stopped, turned, and looked at Deng Ai. He seemed to notice the lad's desperation. "Hmn? What's the matter?" He asked.

"S-Sir! I was part of a c-convoy but I've b-been left behind. I have no idea how to return home."

"And where would that be?"

"The capital: Xu Chang."

"I see, then I will help you, lad. I'm Cao Bang. I'm a clerk for the magistrate of this town. It looks like I'll be off of work for a few days, so I'll be glad to help you return to Xu Chang. Come, I have a wagon that can be prepped in an hour or so. Let's go."

"Th-thank you, sir, for your k-kindness." Deng Ai mumbled, still stunned from this act of generosity. (2.)

After four hours, he found himself at the gates of Xu Chang. "Your name was Cao Bang, right? I... I have to repay you somehow."

The older man waved his hand. "There is no need. People should look out for each other, otherwise the world will be an even worse place. Have a nice day, lad." Cao Bang smiled and his wagon moved along, back to An Feng.

* * *

He entered his first mission.

Sima Yi received reports that the tribes people of the Bingzhou area was causing problems for the several Chinese towns throughout that vast province. The vast majority of the Wei officers were off defending the border, and Bingzhou was considered part of the mid-north, making it not a border province. Sima Yi thought for a while, trying to figure out who would be the best person to go on this mission. Noting that Deng Ai needed experience, Zhongda decided to ask him to take the job.

There was one officer there already, Li Dian, and when he saw Deng Ai he told the younger man: "These tribes people are rowdy and have caused a lot of problems. We have to get rid of them!"

Deng Ai turned to the older warrior, who seemed quite annoyed. Li Dian growled and shook his spear. "Kill those bastards, I say! They've caused too many problems, and if we let them live, they'll stab us in the back!" His eyes flared with rage.

Deng Ai nodded. "I see they've been quite a bother. Would you mind if I talked with them?"

Li Dian shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see the point. They'd probably kill you. But I suppose you can talk to them if you want. Just bring your sword."

Deng Ai nodded, and walked away from his comrade.

* * *

He approached the "tribal" community to find a group of broken down straw huts. The people there stared at Deng Ai forlornly. What was this nobleman doing in a place like this? Why would he care about them? Their eyes followed his every step with wary interest.

Deng Ai sensed their harsh glares, and felt very uncomfortable indeed. He looked around and asked. "May I see your chief?"

A burly warrior wearing leather armor and carrying a long spear walked up to the scholar. "Yeah? What would someone like you want?"

Deng Ai blinked as he looked at the chief. "You look... Um... Powerful..."

The chief nodded carefully. "I'm Liu Bao, King of the Huns. We might share this land, but I will never call myself a servant of Wei. Your Emperor can kiss my -- for all I care." (3.)

"I see that your p-people are g-going through some hard times..." Deng Ai stammered, still intimidated by the man's size.

"And what would you know, you scrawny rich boy? What would you know about suffering and pain?"

"I know quite a bit, really... My mother had to s-sacrifice her purity to help me g-get the chance to become what I am now, and even th-that isn't so special based on 'rich' standards. I've been disrespected and kicked around just like you people, m-maybe not to this horrible extent, but I've had a taste of what you've been through." Deng Ai controlled himself, staring intently into the bigger man's eyes.

The chief crossed his arms. "So what do you want, kid?"

"I want to help you guys in any way I can." Deng Ai replied.

"Well..." The chief turned and looked at the many villagers huddling together. "If you could get us some thick clothes or blankets to fight this friggin' cold, then maybe I'll be more willin' to talk to ya."

"Got it." Deng Ai nodded. He quickly left, and, two days later, three wagons full of blankets, jackets, and other winter outerwear arrived at the village.

As the Hun tribesmen began to feel much more comfortable, the Chief demanded that Deng Ai be sent back to his "palace," a broken down brick hut that was the most 'civilized' of their dwellings.

"We were having a lot of colds back then, but thanks to those warm clothes and stuff my people have a much better chance to make it through these winters."

"Th-there's no need to thank me. P-People should always help each other in times of need."

"Who are you, anyway?"

"Deng-eng Ai... I'm sorry, Deng Ai."

"Heh, you stutter a lot, don't ya? Pah, what am I saying? You're a good man. It's good to know that nobleman like you live in this world too."

Deng Ai bowed. "Thank you, sir."

As he walked out of the tent, a small child ran up to Deng Ai, and gave him a strange looking hat.

Deng Ai glanced at the cap. It was a light shade of blue, almost gray, and was woven with a yellow string that showed all the way around the cap. The top of the cap had a nudge where one could attach a feather or some bushy thing to make one more noticeable on the battlefield or such.

Deng Ai looked at the boy, who smiled back at him. An older woman, who seemed to be in her mid forties, approached the young scholar.

"Thank you, kind sir, for everything you've done... When a warrior in our village proves his worth in battle, a hat in that style is given to him. When he becomes chief, of course, he's given a different way to show his rank, but we want to thank you for everything you've done." She bowed.

"I... I barely did anything... But thank you for the honor." Deng Ai smiled, putting on the cap. As he got on a wagon and headed back to base, the people of the village watched him leave and waved at his retreating figure. By the time he got back to base, Li Dian congratulated him.

"Now they're much less rowdy... Who would have thought that all they wanted were blankets, clothing, and stuff to keep them warm? I would never have thought of talking to barbarians like them, but I guess your way works too. Good job, Deng Ai of Ru Nan."

"Th-thank you." Deng Ai nodded as he headed back to the capital. What things would Sima Yi make him do this time?

* * *

1. FYI, I'm using the map from Kongming dot net in case you're wonderin'.

2. Someone asked me when Deng would cure his stuttering. The point is, he stutters when he feels threatened or when he's embarrassed. Otherwise, when he's completely comfortable with a person, like with Sima Yi, Sima Wang, or later Chen Tai, he will not stutter.

3. Why the -- ? I'm letting you fill that in. :)


	4. War and Peace

Chapter 4: War and Peace

It was the first time he took a life.

The young man shook as his blade dripped with that red liquid. He just killed a man. Deng Ai did not know if he was a father, or a son whose military pay allowed him to support his old parents, or if he was a she whose lover was also fighting for their tribe. All he knew was that he killed a fellow human being.

Guo Huai, Deng Ai's superior, told them that these were barbarians, that they had no culture and, thus, were inferior, but Deng Ai couldn't let himself get blinded by that. He'd been with these "tribesmen." They were no different than the other Chinese. The only difference was the environment they lived in, the fact that they resided in ramshackle huts instead of cozy brick homes.

All around him, the soldiers of Wei cheered at the fact that these "bandits" were being routed. For quite a while, the nomads of the northwest were raiding the territories of Changan and the surrounding towns. The peasants complained about their antics, and it took a few years for Sima Yi to finally care enough to send Guo Huai, Commander of the Western Legion, to take care of the problem. Of course, he had Deng Ai tag along, just to get some experience. (1.)

The more Deng Ai looked around, the more sick he got. But, in these chaotic times, to be great one had to be in the military or to get into politics. With his stuttering, Deng Ai wouldn't get anywhere as a politician. At least as a general he could keep his mouth shut for a while and prove his smarts in ways besides using words.

Besides, Deng Ai had Guo Huai watching his back. Xiahou Yuan always spoke highly of Guo Huai, claiming that the younger General was far smarter than him. Guo Huai was known to be quite shrewed. Of the fifty or so engagements he fought in, he won about forty of them, with none of them being severe defeats. Considering the fact that even the great Cao Ren was badly crushed in the battle of Jiang Ling, Guo Huai was quite a reliable general.

The army of Wei stood, waiting for the army of the Qiangs to arrive, and, surprise! They did.

Guo Huai's frontal units, led by an officer named Hao Zhao, plowed through the Qiang forward calvary, ripping this strike team apart. Hao Zhao continued the assault, plunging through the entire Qiang line and reaching the supply train. As he stole and destroyed their goods, Hao Zhao thought of the honor he would receive. After all, such a deed would definitely put him in the Prime Minister's good gracious.

With their lines in chaos, the Qiang chieftains let our war whoops and dived for the battalions of their Wei counterparts. The Wei calvary riders found that their Qiang foes had swords just as sharp as theirs, and unlike the Wei mounted calvary, Qiang mounted calvary moved swiftly and fired precise bolts in any terrain. They would not be affected by trees or rocks or even crevasses. To a Qiang nomad, the horse was an extension of one's body. Thus, no matter how skilled the Wei calvary riders could claim themselves to be, the Qiang riders would always be five times greater.

It took many days, but finally the pikemen of Wei skewered enough of the Qiang to force their horsemen to retreat. After all, defending your ancestral homeland was one thing, getting your whole tribe extinguished over a small patch of that land was another. The Qiang thought it best to retreat and regroup, but after they fled, Deng Ai realized that they'd come back.

It was horrible. They slaughtered tens of thousands of these people just to prove his own superiority. In truth, Deng Ai sympathized with these people. Now that Wei had "won" this war, a few of their villages had fallen in the newly established Wei border. The young strategist had to keep his loyalty to Wei, after all, he was a citizen of Wei and he owed Sima Yi too much to betray him. But he had to find a way to avoid more pointless killing.

He thought for a few hours, staring at the wall of the fort, when an idea struck him.

First of all, they had to take care of business with the tribal leaders currently in Wei territory. Deng Ai proposed that they be given free public education and a chance to make something of themselves in Chinese society. After all, he explained, from their point of view, they were stuck behind enemy lines. They'd might as well make the most of their situation.

As for the Qiang tribesmen outside of Wei's border, Deng Ai had a solution. He had a huge wall built, enough to cover the entire plain between the series of mountains that covered Wei's northwest frontier. This wall spanned several miles. Heck, it might even be a hundred miles for all the workers knew. But Deng Ai was certain that this would work. If they built a huge and sturdy enough wall, the Qiangs wouldn't be able to lay siege to Chinese cities any more. Of course, there was a small gate to let some Qiang citizens through in order to rejoin their families, but it was heavily guarded in order to avoid an invasion.

Sure enough, the wall stayed put and the Chinese frontiersmen no longer complained about being attacked. For that, Deng Ai was restationed in Changan, and Sima Yi told him that they'd meet much less frequently. The pupil had truly become worthy indeed! To commemorate his hard work, Sima Yi declared that Deng Ai of Runan should be referred to as Deng Shizhai. Like many famous strategists, Deng Ai finally earned his style name!

There, in the Western Capital of the Han, in the place where many legends were made, in the city of Changan, Deng Ai met the man whom he would later call "father."

* * *

Chen Tai had been around for a while. (2.)

He had quite an extensive career. The warrior had been stationed in Bingzhou, Yong Province, and even the Qun mountain range, the range that divided north Shu kingdom from Wei.

But he was only forty six. Most strategical generals at that time would die at around sixty. He had at least twenty years left. But, who knew? He might end up like Yan Yan or Huang Zhong of Shu and live till he was eighty or something.

Chen Xuanbo sighed as he looked at the stack of papers in front of him. True, he was the son of Chen Qun, a scribe who became a minister at Cao Cao's court, but he always hated paperwork. The same old repetitive movements of the hand were killing his wrists. After filling out the same old documents for twenty years, well, he felt like strangling someone.

Chen Tai looked at the water clock on his desk. Sima Yi told him that he should expect a visitor, and, well, whoever tried to challenge Sima Zhongda when he is demanding that you do something is asking to have one's head chopped off. Chen Tai liked being alive, he liked living life to the fullest and being able to experience every experience fate had to offer, so he complied willingly, though not that eagerly.

Then, as Xuanbo thought of his daughter and wife, a young man entered the room.

Chen Tai immediately noticed the hat. He saw plenty of them when he was serving as Governor of Bingzhou. "Ah, nice hat."

"Thank you..." Deng Shizai smiled awkwardly. Here he was, told by his master that he'd meet someone 'interesting' today, and now he felt awkward talking to this stranger.

"So you're Deng Ai of Ru Nan? Congratulations on your victory in Long Xi."

"You're too kind... It... It wasn't much of a victory, r-really. Too many people died back there."

Chen Tai looked Deng Ai in the eye. "But there were few Wei casualties..."

"T-too many Qiang tribesmen died! All th-they w-wanted was t-to protect their homeland." Deng Ai stammered, covering his mouth when he realized what he just said.

Chen Tai threw his head back and laughed. Deng Ai glared at the older man, and Chen Tai, noticing the glare, immediately stopped.

"I wasn't laughing at the fact that those innocent people died in our 'comrade''s hands, I laughed because, for once, someone other than me sees the truth."

"When did I hear that before?" Deng Ai thought.

"I should have known when I saw that hat. You were honored by the Jie tribe, weren't you? Those are the kind of hats their warriors wear."

"Y-yes... How did you know?"

"I was stationed in Bingzhou for a time. The tribespeople there are quite friendly when you get to know them. They're pretty suspicious of us, as I'm sure you know, but who could blame them? For a while the men of Wei and even earlier have tormented their people. It's about time someone starts talking for them."

"It's nice to meet you, Sir...?"

"Just call me Chen Tai, or Xuanbo, if you'd like. There's no need to refer to me by my rank. After all, no matter what flashy title you give us, we're all just people, right?" Chen Tai smiled.

Rather embarrassed, but feeling quite comfortable, Deng Ai smiled too.

* * *

They talked about many things. Deng Ai noticed that many of his foot soldiers were falling in combat, and as he was a novice commander, he wanted to learn more about strategy from someone who had much more experience. Chen Tai taught him survival methods for the army, how one could keep one's men alive with few casualties. After all, people were the basis of every army, and no rational human being likes seeing friends fall in battle.

Changan was a big place, but Deng Ai had never been to this huge city. Chen Tai took him around. At a small street vendor's shack, they had a little chat.

"So tell me more about yourself, Shizai. What are you planning to do with your life?"

"I don't know, really. People used to make fun of me because of my stuttering... And for a long while I felt as though everyone practically despised me... Ever since my mom slept with that..."

"Your mother did what?" Chen Tai's eyes widened a little. He had a daughter, so topics like that were rather _touchy_ to him.

"My mother slept with Bang Tou..."

"Bang Tou, _the Great One_?"

"That's..." Deng Ai sighed. "That's the man..."

"Huh, so he never changed, did he?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since we were in the academy together, he always acted superior. I'm not surprised that he ran a school of his own."

"Yeah..." Deng Ai sighed, but smirked a little. "No wonder Zhong Hui is his promised pupil, hmn?"

"Zhong Hui, son of Zhong Yao?"

"Yes."

"Ah, so he's ruffled your feathers?"

Deng Ai glanced strangely at the older man. "Yes... Yes he has..."

"You shouldn't let that bother you, you know. However those jerks might act, the fact is that you have your own talents and abilities, and they are too blind to see them. Don't let their arrogance morph you into a different person. Retain your individuality, for it might be the only thing you truly have."

"You're right... But I have no idea what I'm capable of..."

Chen Tai smirked. Why was this boy interesting him so much? He'd met quite a few young men in his time, and they'd all tell him that they wanted to conquer the world, or save humanity, or become a genius, or things like that, but Deng Shizai seemed to share none of these ambitions. He was so uncertain of himself and, well, and that made him unique, in a way. Chen Xuanbo was quite intrigued by the younger man.

"You'll find yourself, eventually. You'll see your strengths and weaknesses and determine your purpose in life from those facts. Don't despair... But you should care for your mother. She might have slept with that pig, and she might have done a few wrong things, but she is your mother. She birthed you. She gave you the chance to live your life as it is now. It may have been tough in many ways, but you owe her everything. You should be a good son and visit her." Chen Tai stared deeply into the younger man's eyes, giving him a glare like that of a chiding father.

Deng Ai was taken aback by this glare. He shivered a little and stammered: "Um, um sure... I'll... I'll go right on ahead. Thank you, sir..." He slowly got up and walked away. Chen Tai watched the younger boy go, and sighed as he ordered a cup of tea. "This boy... He seems so familiar... Hmn..." He murmured, lost in thought.

* * *

1. My sources tell me that Guo Huai's rank is "Senior Advisor Who Controls the West." However, since he is the commanding officer, many troops might misinterpret the fact that he's an advisor into thinking that he can't fight. Guo Huai was actually a skilled warrior, so I thought that this rewording of his rank was better.

2. The novel doesn't really talk that much about him, but historically Chen Tai was quite a special general and strategist. He defeated Jiang Wei twice in both the engagements the two warriors had against each other, and, historically, he did win himself great respect from the northwest nomads for his compassion. Back then, like Li Dan most Chinese officers would treat those nomadic tribes like inferior barbarians, but not Chen Tai. And at the end of his life, when the Cao clan's supporters were all betraying them, Chen Tai and a handful of men, Guanqiu Jian being one of them, rose up against Sima Zhao (Sima Yi's second son and Chen Tai's childhood friend), and opposed his betrayal, only to die by the executioner's axe...

The novel mentions that Deng Ai and Chen Tai met late in life and became close friends when Shizhai was already established, but if you ask me Deng Ai needs a father figure, someone to guide him to a better cause in life, and to me Chen Tai fits perfectly. That's why I had them meet so early, history buffs. I'll explain all the latter stuff later.


	5. Confrontation

Chapter 5: Confrontation

She glared at him with vicious eyes.

"Mother..." He murmured softly, uncertainly, knowing that this meeting would not end well.

Deng Shizai's mother turned to her wayward son. "After abandoning me for so long, you've finally returned?"

"Yes..."

"For what?! So you could let me watch you abandon me again?!"

"No, mother... It's nothing like that..."

"Then why have you come here?!"

Deng Ai cringed. He knew he deserved this rage, but he had no idea what he could say to redeem himself. True, his mother did dishonorable things, but it was for his own benefit. He had no right to disown his mother when every sin she committed was for him, for him to become what he was now. The young man shook his head. "For... Forgive me, mother..."

"You've tried my patience for too long."

"I understand..."

"Yet how can I damn my only child?" She turned to him, her eyes softening. She ran forward and smothered him in a hug. "My son... You have no idea how much I worried about you! Who knows what Sima Yi would order you to do? You might have died on a mission far away, you might have warped into some beast, slaying people without breaking a sweat, you might... Might forget what you are and conform to him completely, like a lamb, but I am so happy to see that you are fine!"

"Master Sima Yi is merely my teacher at the moment, but he is Sima Zhongda, not Deng Shizai. I am my own man, and I will make my own path. I'm merely using his as a reference point."

"There you go, arrogant as ever. One of these days this arrogance will consume you, and when that day comes you'll wish that you had the foresight to realize the might of your enemies before they destroyed you."

"No, mother. Confidence is different from arrogance. There are many talents in this world, and many of them, with their vast experience, could easily take me down, but I think that I'm no mere simpleton. Once I gain more experience, I'm certain that I will make my mark on the world. When I do, people will know the name Deng Ai!"

They talked for hours, a mother learning things about her son she could hardly have guessed from living with him for so many years, and a son finally able to express his heart to the one person who truly cared for him in the world. After this long talk, Deng Ai had to leave. As an officer of Wei, he had a duty to return to his post, no matter how critical being with his mother was. As he bid his farewells to her and left, he realized that he should have thanked Chen Tai. Had Xuanbo not advised him to see her, he'd never have had this wonderful experience.

* * *

Zhong Hui snarled as he looked at his water clock.

To think that, exactly one year ago, he could have been what Deng Ai is now: student of Master Sima Yi and the one man who would gather all of that genius's teachings. The peasant stole what was rightfully his, and he could hardly swallow this humiliation!

He moped around. Zhong Shiji had to find an opportune time to give this bumpkin a piece of his mind. He was superior and there was no question to it. Sima Yi must have been drunk, there was no other reason for him to deny Zhong Hui that sacred honor. And when he finally took down that pathetic waste of a human life, he'd be able to make the world a better place by allowing Sima Zhongda to pass his great knowledge to a worthy student.

So when Deng Ai suddenly appeared as he walked past the door to his quarters, Zhong Hui leapt up, rather shocked. Most people wouldn't appear in the clerk's wing of the Wei palace unless something important was going on.

As Deng Ai continued to walk, he heard a voice behind him: "Vermin aren't allowed in here."

"Oh? That means that you shouldn't be here, right?" The lad retorted, turning full circle to face his rival.

Zhong Hui smirked. "Scum like you don't deserve to be among great people like us."

"So I suppose 'to be great' means that you have to have an arrogant attitude toward others, yes?"

"How dare you insult your master?!"

"Master Sima might be proud, and he might think himself more worthy than others, but he has the sense not to reveal such emotions. You, on the other hand, are a pompous git who ought to fail and realize your own limitations."

"You speak of your master with such freedom, as though you do not respect him!"

"Sima Yi is one of the greatest men of this age, but like all great men, he has a major flaw. In his case, it is his pride and arrogance."

"You dare insult a greater man than you, peasant?"

"Why, yes, I do."

"You ought to know your place. I should cut you down where you stand."

"I doubt you could do such a thing, scrawny whelp."

"Who are you calling scrawny?! Look at you, you're shorter than I am!"

"But I wouldn't break in half if a pole were to strike me on the chest."

"Oh, who's the arrogant one now?"

"When talking to a dog, you must bark." (1.)

Zhong Hui's eyes burned with hate. "How dare you?!"

As the infuriated scholar charged at his rival with his fists outstretched, an arm suddenly grabbed them and pulled them back.

"Now, now, play nicely." Zhong Yao glared at his son.

"Father..." Zhong Hui bowed reverently.

Zhong Yao raised an eyebrow as he stared at Deng Ai. "You, boy. Aren't you Sima Yi's pupil? Shouldn't you be with him?"

Deng Ai nodded. He didn't dare insult the older man. "Yes, sir."

"Then get. On with you. Let my son be." Zhong Yao scoffed.

Deng Ai abruptly turned and strutted away. He remembered Chen Tai's words and calmed himself down. There was no point getting angry over such gits.

* * *

1. Though quite cruel, when I'm angry this is one of my favorite sayings when I'm forced to argue with someone.

* * *

The Chapter is rather short, so I apologize. However, I'm currently uncertain as to how I should proceed. Thank you for reading, however, and I'll try my best to make up for it.


	6. Water

Author's note: I intended to update this yesterday, on my birthday, but then writer's block hit. I seriously have no idea where to continue from here...

Chapter 6: Water

He sat as his desk, his fingers tapping against the table's smooth surface. Deng Ai chuckled a little, this moment reminded him of what happened a year and a half ago, when he was taking that wretched excuse for an exam.

His eyes wandered to that group of birds flying outside the window of his room. They seemed so carefree, so lively, compared to him and his boring place in front of the mounds of paperwork Sima Yi needed him to complete.

Deng Ai sighed. He needed a mission, and he needed one soon.

As his eyes wandered from the birds to the doorway, a head suddenly popped in. "Hmn, it seems our paths have crossed again."

Shizai was startled. "Chen Tai! It's great to see you again... Thank you, by the way."

"For what, lad?"

"For reminding me to visit my mother... I guess she needed me to come back after all."

Chen Tai smiled. "Parents are like that. They leave their children's side and they yearn for them to return to the nest... I'm sure if my daughter were to leave the house..."

"You have a daughter?" Deng Ai raised his eyebrow. "You haven't told me about your family..."

"I haven't, have I? Well..."

_My father, as you might know, was Chen Qun, a minister in Cao Cao's employ. Because of our clan affluence due to this position, I was given the chance to get a higher education. There, I met my future wife. Like me, Li Hua also grew up in a nobleman's household. She was the youngest of twelve children. If you're wondering how a woman could bear so many youngsters, well, her father happened to have married three wives. Of course, Li Hua grew up with her 'mothers' squabbling and fighting over who had the right to dictate commands to the other wives as 'chief wife.' _

_Li Hua has never liked the life of a noblewoman, but she did grab the chance to get a higher education, one few women were allowed to grasp. We found ourselves attending the same school, and our parents, seeing the possibility of increasing our clan's vast wealth, decided to get us betrothed._

_We were lucky: few betrothed couples truly understand love. They try to see the best in one another, but beyond the sexual pleasures that come with marriage and the constant companionship, there really isn't much else. However, Li Hua and I both quickly found things in common, and slowly we began to develop emotions for each other... It's rather difficult to describe those feelings in words._

_My life's been rather fine and well-off, lad, so when I was stationed as Governor of Bingzhou, I finally saw the horrific conditions some of those nomadic peoples were forced to live in. Shortly afterwards Li Hua was pregnant with our first child. I named her Chen Xin, and vowed to give her a great life, but at the same time let her be fully aware of the evils and horrors that other people would be forced to face. I didn't want her to grow up ignorant. Innocent, maybe, for innocence can be a blessing and can keep one from having ulterior motives, but ignorance was out of the question._

_Li Hua and I, we worry for Chen Xin. What will happen to her in the future? I took my wife to see Bingzhou and to meet the people there. We both cringed at the ramshackle conditions they live in, yet we honored their resourcefulness. You have to hand it to those people: they can truly make the most out of what is a truly horrible situation. But will she be able to survive as well as they can when we pass on? Who will be there to look out for her? And if she can fend for herself, will she be happy? I just feel so forlorn when I think that there might even be the slimmest possibility that she'll have a hard life. As a father, it's the last thing I'd want for her._

Deng Ai looked at the older man. Here was a father opening himself up to him, not unlike how Shizai opened up to the older man earlier, telling him about his own past.

"I'm sure, with parents like you and Li Hua, your daughter will be fine... You are a good man. You do what you must for your country and your family..."

Chen Tai stared at the younger man, his hand went to his chin as he remembered those long forgotten days when he, too, wandered through life without a purpose. Since he started life with everything handed over, it seemed like all he had to do was maintain the wealth and prestige that his father, Chen Qun had started. But as he thought of it, there really was no purpose to that.

We live life with the expectation that we should make our own path. That we ought to make something of ourselves. Chen Tai's old friend, Sima Zhao, the son of Sima Yi, said that his destiny was to become someone powerful, who ruled over others. Chen Tai disagreed, and that is what caused the two to break contact with each other. To Chen Tai, because he was so rich, it was his duty to help those who were not given the same opportunities that he received. Deng Ai grew up from a low-official (lower middle class) family, so in Chen Tai's eyes he should do what he could to help the young man. Besides, Deng Ai was rather smart and in some ways reminded him of himself when he was younger.

Chen Tai stepped into the room, and closed the door behind him.

"Boy, there's something I've wanted to tell you..."

"What is it?"

"You say that you lack a purpose in life, that you are wandering about searching for some meaning, right?"

"Yeah..." Deng Ai mumbled, staring out the window.

"Look, kid, if you stay miserable, you won't achieve anything."

"Why do you care all of a sudden?" Deng Ai stared back at Chen Tai. They might have chatted a bit but there was no reason for Chen to have such an intense interest of him.

"Why? Because I was like you once, and I wish I had someone to talk some sense into me."

"But I don't need advice... Not yet... Not when I haven't done anything."

Chen Tai's nose shifted a little. This boy was far too mysterious for his own good. "You think that I'm trying to control you, that I believe you inferior, like Bang Tong, isn't it?"

Deng Ai stared intently back at him. "If you thought of me as an equal, why would you try to tell me what I should do?"

Chen Tai nodded. "Then I will say one thing: people ought to be like water. They ought to be able to flow through the slightest of openings, even when under pressure. No matter what, water always finds a way to flow freely. Water is flexible and adaptable, yet it is also strong. After all, a raging torrent can destroy quite a few things.

"You, young man, are still burdened by your past. If you let it make you gloomy and ruin your mood, you will only waste away, or be blocked from achieving great things. You are letting the pressure crush you, and that leads to self-ruin. That is all I will say for now." The older man sighed and walked away.

Deng Ai put his hands in his palms as he stared out the window. For some reason, he felt a great emptiness, and he had no idea why.


	7. Start All Over Again

Chapter 7: Start All Over Again

_"Work like a soul inspired  
Until the battle of the day is won.  
You may be sick and tired,  
But you'll be a man, my son._

_Will you remember the famous men  
Who had to fall to rise again?  
So take a deep breath...  
Pick yourself up...  
Dust yourself off  
And start all over again."_

_- Nat King Cole_

Chen Tai walked away from Shizai's room that day, and the young man realized that, instead of moping around, he really should start doing something worthwhile. After all, he wouldn't know what he was capable of until he actually did something great.

It was at that time...

_Shou Chun has always been a major Wei city, ever since Yuan Shu was finally slain. But, being so close to Wu's border, the city was prone to attacks from that southern nation. After Sun Quan was defeated at Fort Hefei, a critical fort in the Shou Chun vicinity, the army of Wu would think twice about striking Shou Chun._

_But this time, Lord Zhuge Ke, son of Zhuge Jin, decided that enough was enough. He gathered his troops for an attack on Shou Chun._

_To his luck, a terrible drought struck Shou Chun, disrupting all the harvests of the area. Since Shou Chun was a major wheat and rice growing city, the loss of its harvest would devastate any army in the area, and would make the lives of the people there hell._

General Yu Jin, appointed by Sima Yi as Governor of Shou Chun, saw the devastation but had no idea how to cease it. Thus, he called for help, and Deng Ai volunteered to go.

* * *

Deng Ai grew up as the son of a minor official, not as a farmer's boy, but when he looked at the parched land, he knew that he had to use his brain to do something... What did these people do to deserve this?

As Deng Ai stared intently at the baked and cracked soil, Yu Jin chuckled. "They say that you are wise and foreseeing, Deng Shizai, but it seems that all you can do is have a semi-intelligent expression as you stare aimlessly at the problem."

Deng Ai glanced at the older man. There was a rumor that Yu Jin would be better known as "Yu Jin the Coward," for there was a time when General Guan Yu of Shu had used the might of water to flood the territory of Fancheng. General Pang De died on that day, but, like a coward, Yu Jin surrendered.

He was thrown in prison and eventually liberated and sent back to Wei by Sun Quan of Wu, but no one forgot Yu Jin's stupidity and shamelessness, even if he was a decent warrior and commander when he decided to act brave. (1.)

"Sir, if you'd be so kind as to let me plan..."

"But you're taking forever! I know of a greater strategist who can make decisions quickly."

"And is that my teacher, or?"

"No, Zhong Hui of Ru Nan." (2.)

Deng Ai smirked at the answer. "I see."

"And to think you're Sima Yi's student."

"Well, the escaping frog that jumps too readily against the wall of the well could easily scrape itself to death." (3.)

Yu Jin blinked, and Deng Ai sighed.

Minutes passed as Deng Ai began to examine the area.

"Hurry up!" The older general growled.

"I'm getting on that!"

* * *

Back in Jian Ye, Zhuge Ke prepared his forces. He was still relatively young, in his mid thirties, but he was insistent on taking out Wei before his death. After all, he already had Wu's Emperor in his palm, with the fall of Wei attributed to him, he'd be even more of a legend! The nephew of Zhuge Liang could see it now: power beyond what one could imagine!

A much younger man, who looked a lot more like a kid, approached the older man and started to speak. "Lord Zhuge Ke, Yu Jin's got some reinforcements, among them is Lord Deng Ai, student to Sima Yi."

"And why should I care, Zhang Ti?"

"Well, sir, Deng Ai is no pushover compared to Yu Jin. He won the respect of the Xiongnu through his good deeds and wisdom, and he was part of that elite group led by Guo Huai who defeated the Qiang, though he was the one who's plans helped ensure that the Qiang would never harm the people of Wei. This is a man to be feared, and if you don't realize that soon enough, sir, you will likely regret it." Zhang Ti replied matter-of-factly. (4.)

Zhuge Ke laughed. "Very well, then. We'll give this fellow a few weeks to prepare himself, and then I'll strike. If he's not ready by then, I'll kill him and you'll face the consequences of questioning my brilliance."

Zhang Ti turned his head and trudged away. Sighing, he asked himself: "Why is it that men like him become Prime Minister of great nations like Wu?"

* * *

After a while of examining the land around Shou Chun, Deng Ai went north, towards the Huai river. Suddenly, he began to personally shovel the soil near the river. This, of course, was a good forty or so miles away from Shou Chun. The crevasses he made with that shovel began to let the water flow a bit, and Shizai smirked. He rode on horseback back to Shou Chun, and ordered Yu Jin to get his men to dig a series of canals towards Shou Chun. If everything worked well, the entire area would be well-irrigated and the crops could be saved.

After a few weeks, the crops were in much better shape, but by then, Zhuge Ke ordered his troops to attack.

The men of Wei stood valiant before the men of Wu, two armies ready to fight over the piece of slowly recovering land. Zhuge Ke had Zhang Ti reluctantly helping him, as well as a few other cronies, such as Cai Lin, a field marshal, and, surprisingly, General Ding Feng.

Gathering his men, Zhuge Ke ordered an attack on the Wei line. Deng Ai, watching the expressions of the Wu soldiers, shook his head and turned to Yu Jin. "Zhuge Ke will not last long."

Yu Jin raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

"His soldiers are so unwilling to listen to his commands, and he's insulted his lord, Sun Liang, for far too long. Such an arrogant idiot can hardly exist in these times."

Yu Jin chuckled. "Let's hope that you are right."

* * *

Ding Feng turned to Zhuge Ke. "Our troops don't look motivated at all."

"Nonsense, they are fighting bravely for the good of Wu."

Zhang Ti whispered in the older warrior's ear. "It's no good debating with someone like him."

Ding Feng stared blankly at the young strategist, and whispered back. "Are you insulting the Imperial Guardian?"

Zhang Ti shook his head and sighed. "Forget it."

* * *

Yu Jin looked worriedly at Deng Ai. "They're crawling forward. If you don't do something fast, we're going to lose Shou Chun."

"Just shut up and let me get this done." Deng Ai rolled his eyes. "The Coward" was really getting on his nerves.

* * *

The men of Wu marched forward, oblivious to the simple trap placed at their sides. As they marched forward, arrows flew from the left and right, catching them off guard. Several troops fell as Zhuge Ke began to panic. He'd never been attacked so quickly before. Turning his horse, he decided to make a run for it. General Ding Feng saw their army in complete disarray, and was forced to follow his commander.

Deng Ai blinked. "Wow, if a simple trick could force them to flee, then this Zhuge Ke really is not meant to be a Wu commander."

Yu Jin blinked too. "You actually got rid of him with such a simple move... Well done." The general smiled. "I have the deepest respect for you now."

Deng Ai stared intently at his colleague. If he wasn't lying, then life would be quite sad for the soldiers here. Mounting a horse, the young man rode off into the distance. His job was done.

* * *

The victory over Wu was cause for a celebration. Deng Ai protested against such a move, claiming that their soldiers had to be serious and the only reason why there was such a swift victory was because Zhuge Ke was an incompetent scumbag, but no one listened. Men like Xiahou Hui, son of Xiahou Yuan, would rather party than actually sit down and get serious.

Deng Ai sighed. He signed up for this position so that he'd meet fellow smart people, not deal with idiots who would prance around and drink beer till they puked. He left the party, forlorn and quite pissed, and headed towards Changan.

Changan wasn't that far from Capital Xuchang. It would take about two days to get there. Since the average Wei party would last a week or so, it would be fine if he set out for that city.

* * *

The old man groaned.

His colleagues were being idiots, as usual. Guo Huai had nudged his more serious comrade in the back and laughed: "C'mon, old chap, we should go to the party."

But Chen Tai gave him a cold stare. "Gongsun Yuan's causing trouble in the north, and you find that a reason to party?"

"But that kid beat up Zhuge Ke, kicked Wu's armies out of Shou Chun!" Guo Huai laughed, face already flushed from chugging his jug of wine.

"What kid?" Chen Tai was not informed of Shizai's victory.

Guo Huai stared intently at him. "My former subordinate, that boy: Deng Ai."

* * *

He wandered the streets of Changan, a small piece of parchment in his hand.

Chen Tai had offered to let Deng Ai stay at his cottage. After all, the young man was quite far from home. Xu Chang and Changan were both quite far from Ru Nan.

The older man wrote down the address for him, but as Deng Ai wandered the street, he found that the numbers written on those homes were too small to see from a safe distance (as approaching these houses would be considered trespassing), and that most houses looked exactly the same.

He sighed. It was rather annoying, and...

A girl was walking towards one of the houses.

She looked around his age, and her hair was quite disheveled. That didn't seem right for a 'lady.' After all, in those days to be a lady a girl had to be "dainty" and "fair," always staying at home and obedient. This girl, however, had weathered clothing and a strange, almost feisty manner as she strolled up to that particular house.

She rapped hard on the door. "I'm home!" She barked, shocking her observer as he watched her.

The door opened to reveal a young teenage boy, about fifteen or so. Deng Ai gasped a bit, the boy looked a lot like Chen Tai. He might have found the right place.

"Where've you been, sis? You've been gone for a week!"

Chen Xin smirked. "So? The important thing is that I finally got back. Well, don't just stand there, go back to your studies!"

"Awww... But I..."

"Go! Unlike me, you have the job of rice-winner for the future of our clan, so go study for that exam!" She put her arms on her hips and glared down at him.

The boy sighed. "Alright, sis..." He stepped back and let her in.

Deng Ai walked in front of the house and stood for a moment, staring at it with a confused expression. Why would Chen Tai be worried for a girl like her? She'd probably do fine in this world of old perverts and belligerent young idiots. She didn't need help.

Breathing deeply, he decided to step forward and knock on the door.

He heard some muffled noises, and a high-pitched "I'll get it!" followed by a groan of protest. (5.)

Deng Ai blinked. That old man's kids really were acting weird.

The door flew open, and the girl stared at him. For a few moments, they both just stared at each other. The girl, noticing that Deng Ai was just staring blankly at her, crossed her arms and spoke. "Well, hi, who the heck are you?" She asked in a haughty manner.

Shizai blinked. "I'm Deng-eng Ai. Your father is General Chen, General Who Displays Firmness, right?"

"And what if he is?"

"He, um, invited me to come check out your place..."

"Hmn..." Chen Xin stared at Deng Ai for a few moments. Finally, she relented. "Alright then, come on in. I'll show you around."

He stepped forward and she closed the door behind him. After taking off his shoes, the pair walked around the house. Chen Tai's son, Chen Wen, looked up from his book to see his sister walking around with a strange man. "Hey, who're you?" He asked, standing up abruptly.

"He's Deng Ai, apparently he knows Dad." She answered for him.

"Really?" Chen Wen raised an eyebrow. "In that case, what's mom's name?"

Deng Ai looked confused, but Chen Xin stared at Deng Ai closely, and he decided to tell him. "Your mom is Li Hua, who was betrothed to your dad. Thankfully, they fell in love unlike many other couples."

Chen Wen smiled. "Yep, he isn't a fake!"

"Thank heaven." Chen Xin smirked as well. "You see, a lot of people tend to bother us because we're the family of Chen Qun, and we're rich, yada yada yada, so we thought you were some poser or something who wanted to come here and steal stuff from under our noses. It's good to see that you've actually talked to dad and that he trusts you."

Deng Ai smiled. She acted a bit childish for her age, it seemed.

* * *

Chen Wen went back to his book, as he had to study for the ridiculously important exam that Deng Ai had been through before, and thus Chen Xin and Deng Ai were left alone as they wandered about the Chen family home. It seemed larger from the inside than the outside, but, then again, Deng Ai was only looking at it from the street. He hadn't actually went to the back to take a look, for that would be trespassing and homeowners do weird things when someone's loitering on their property.

As the two walked together, she continued to tell him about the various rooms, and he'd nod, but in reality, he wasn't paying attention...

He was too busy getting stunned and letting hormones take control.

Ah, yes, lust, it can make men do many, many stupid things. Thankfully, Shizai wasn't a lecher, but this girl was turning him on. He found her quite attractive, and then he realized that, yeah, Chen Tai probably should get worried about her.

"And this room is... Um, Deng, you ok?" She turned to him, noticing that he was staring at her. "Erm... Is there something on my face? Helloooo?"

As he continued to stare at her, her eyes narrowed. With a quick move of the hand, she slapped him.

"Ah!" He exclaimed, broken out of that moment of bliss.

"Pervert."

"What?"

"Staring at me like some creepy old guy."

"Hey, I..."

"Don't give me that innocent look."

"Huh?" He stared at her, absolutely clueless.

She smiled a bit, turned and blushed, then as he stepped closer to her she smacked him again. "Stay back." She teased.

"What...?" He blinked, very, very confused.

She giggled and he continued to stand there. "Girls, I just don't get them at all..." He thought.

* * *

The old man returned home.

"Dad!" Chen Wen leapt from his desk and ran towards his father.

"Son..." Chen Tai smirked, patting his boy on the head as he closed the door.

"Dad, a friend of yours came to visit."

"Oh?"

"Yes, it's Deng Ai..."

"Ah..." Chen Tai smirked. "Is he still around?"

"Yeah. Sis is showing him 'round the house."

"Hmn, I'll talk to him later. You know, son, that boy happens to be Sima Yi's pupil."

"The Prime Minister's pupil?" Chen Wen was quite shocked.

"Yep."

"Wow..."

Chen Tai smiled. "But you'll get to be someone like that someday... As long as you study!" He ruffled his son's hair. "Now get back to that desk!"

Wen sighed. "Yes, dad..." He slowly trudged back to his desk as his father went to look for the young man and his daughter.

* * *

"So how did you get to know my dad, anyway? I hear that he's so busy all the time..."

"Well, you see, Master Sima Yi had your dad meet up with me."

"Wait, why would Sima Yi know you?"

"I'm... Well, I'm his pupil."

"WHAT?!" Chen Xin's eyes bulged out of her sockets. "That's not funny! You know how famous he is."

"Well, yeah, and I'm not lying."

She looked at him, trying to rat out any foul play from him. "No, you're not... Still... Wow! It's pretty good that he thinks so highly of you."

Chen Tai smirked as he watched the two from a distance. "He's not the only man who thinks highly of this boy."

"Dad!" Chen Xin beamed at her father.

"Mom told me that you've been out for a while... I was stationed elsewhere, so I couldn't check on you. You should stay here, where it's safe." Chen Tai gave his daughter a scolding glare.

"If I always stay here, how will I be able to fend for myself in the real world, dad? Besides, I'm fine, see?" Chen Xin beamed, happy to see her father again.

Chen Tai smiled. "The important thing is that you're here."

Shizai couldn't help but smile too. Here he was, in a home of friends, and he wouldn't rather be anywhere else.

* * *

1. History says that he died once he realized that he had this title, but I don't give him that honor.

2. Note: I have no idea where Zhong Hui's hometown is, if you happen to know, please PM me.

3. If I remember correctly, frogs are quite fragile... To scrape against hard stone is not a good thing for them indeed.

4. You know, I should probably write a fic like this for a Shu officer. If anyone has suggestions for who that Shu guy (or girl) should be, you can leave me a PM. After writing a few alternate endings / "side stories" for Deng Ai, I'll write a fic like this for Xu Sheng.

5. 'Fore you say anything, yeah, it's grammatically incorrect, but I have no idea how to write that correctly... After all, the old saying goes, right? "The more you're fluent with a language, the crappier your grammar becomes."

* * *

Chapter inspired by Crystallia Silver, formerly Azure Angel Venus.


	8. Roses

Author's note: This is unrelated to the fic, but type "Dynasty Tactics 2 A Falling Star" into Youtube search and click on the first (and probably only) link there. You'll get to watch the best video ever! It's a nod to one of the most famous battles in ancient (very ancient) Chinese history, where General Pang Chuan, a brilliant man, was annihilated by Sun Bin. The tree, the arrow, the defeated strategist's expression, it all fits perfectly. I love that vid so much.

Speaking of loving, this fic has become my pride and joy. Thanks for sticking around, peeps!

* * *

Chapter 8: Roses

Roses are so beautiful, yet their thorns can be so sharp.

He held his blade unsteadily, awkwardly, hesitantly as he faced his teacher. The older man smirked and Shizai charged, swinging the wooden training sword at his opponent's helmet.

She stood from a distance, giggling a bit every time he'd make an error, but though outwardly she appeared to be mocking him, inwardly she wanted Shizai to beat her father.

It wasn't a question of love or hate. Chen Xin owed everything to her father, so far the greatest man in her life, but now this boy had come into the picture. She wanted to see what he was capable of, for no ordinary person would be praised so readily by Sima Yi (or Chen Tai, for that matter). This boy, Deng Ai, what genius was he hiding from her?

Shizai twirled the wooden dao and charged forward, yelling at the top of his lungs. Chen Tai smirked, the younger man was far too calm in most situations to get riled up like this. Chen Tai thrust forward and Deng Ai immediately leapt to the side. Chen Tai stroked his chin as his eyes scanned for the younger strategist. Could Shizai be planning to confuse him?

Only seconds later, Deng Ai closed in on the old man from behind, his sword outstretched and ready to poke his back, symbolizing the younger man skewering his teacher.

But with a single swing of his body, Chen Tai knocked the sword out of Shizai's hands. The younger man was quite shocked, and bowed low in defeat.

The older man laughed. "A nice attempt you performed there. Had I not had to deal with assassins throughout my career, you might have had me. Good thinking. Because I happened to be more skilled with the blade than you, and my reflexes happened to be superior, you realized that you had to strike with tactics. Though I must admit that your eagerness to use such deceitful methods worries me."

"'Tis best to honor thy enemy after you've retired him, be it defeating him or, if you must, killing him. To that end, anything goes."

Chen Tai smiled. "Then it seems you've gained the will to fight. Very well, another go?"

"Of course. I've gotta improve, otherwise I'd be fodder for the enemy. With Shu nipping at our heels, Wu drooling over Shou Chun, and Gongsun Yuan causing trouble up north, there are plenty of tasks to be done." Deng Ai nodded.

"Hah, you won't be able to protect Wei with words alone, boy!" The old man laughed as he dived in for another blow.

Chen Xin smiled, and turned away. She'd seen enough. Men would be men, boys would be boys, and they'd keep that love for the thrill of the hunt. This was a fact of life.

After a few days of training, Chen Xin was shocked to see Deng Ai chop fifteen logs of wood equally in half in under a minute. Before Chen Tai introduced him to the way of the saber, Deng Ai couldn't even swing a blade properly, let alone chop so precisely with it. Her eyes wandered to his teacher, her father, who observed his student with his silent approval.

Shizai sheathed his sword and examined his work... "I'm still too slow... If we were to get ambushed, I'd be unable to pull my blade out of an opponent fast enough to assist my troops in hand to hand combat." He shook his head.

Chen Xin was no warrior, but even she could tell that he'd improved. "But still, earlier you would've been skewered before you could even land a blow. Now you're much more competent for battle..." She tried to reassure him.

Deng Ai gave her an exasperated glance. "I was mediocre then. The war that will come soon will be nothing like those Qiang invasions of the past. No, we are fighting the men of Shu, men as well trained in strategy and warfare as we men of Wei are. Xin, I can't afford to engage the enemy if I can't even pull my own weight in battle. Back then I would've died quickly, that much is true, but even now I can hardly fight half as well as the average officer."

Chen Xin blinked. After a few seconds, she sighed and she shook her head. What was she thinking? Her father happened to be a great strategist and warrior, which is why he'd return from the front lines in one piece, but many warriors were not nearly as lucky. They'd get skewered and slaughtered, and Shizai couldn't bear seeing his comrades suffer so. That was why he was training so hard: so that he could lead his men into battle and lead them out alive.

But before she could even blink, Chen Tai and Deng Ai were preparing to leave. "I've trained you well, Shizai. Now I want to see your skills in battle." Chen Tai smirked at the younger man. "And I'd be glad to see you alongside me as well. Together we can keep those idiots in our ranks from getting rowdy and hurting innocents." Deng Ai nodded.

"Both of you..." Chen Xin clasped her hands together. "Don't get killed..."

"Is that all you can say?" Chen Wen laughed, turning to his older sister. She glared at him, and bopped him on the head, forcing him to draw back in pain.

Chen Tai chuckled a little. "I've always been fine, and so has Shizai. We've made it through so many campaigns. Rest assured, daughter, this will be no different."

"Wait... Where's Li Hua in all this?" Deng Ai turned to his teacher.

"She went to visit her parents this entire time, unfortunately. When we get back I'm sure she'll be here..." Chen Tai replied.

"I'm serious... You said that this battle will be much different from those you've had before, right Shizai? Keep yourself safe, and watch over my old man... In case his muscles get strained or something."

Chen Tai laughed. "We shall be fine."

Deng Ai nodded to her. "He's right... Don't worry about us... Take care, Chen Xin."

"May heaven be kind to you, Shizai..." She mumbled, watching both men turn and walk away.

* * *

Apologies for the short and maybe lackluster chapter. Due to the upgrade of this site, I would have been unable to load this chap here. I wanted to upload it _ASAP_ before the upgrade, so, here goes.


	9. Invasion

Author's note: I suppose the last chapter was too poor to warrant any attention. Well, sorry, it's because the announcement on this site was that the upgrade would go from 10PM-12PM. However, it should have been written as 10PM-12AM. I thought that since this site tends to be buggy, they needed some time to upgrade, 14 hours is rather long, but considering how Vista sucks and how computers tend to be stupid, I thought it was a reasonable timeframe. Had they labeled it properly, I would have had more than enough time to edit and make the chapter much better. My apologies.

Now, a few more notes for fans of various kingdoms:

Note to Shu-ists: This chapter, and many that will follow it, will depict sad tidings for your favorite kingdom. As a diehard Wuist, I would sympathize with you unquestioningly. Your favorite characters (or, at least, the men and women of Shu) will be heartbroken as many of their comrades will perish. Since we both dislike (or, in my personal case, detest) the Kingdom of Wei, you will see many of Deng Ai's comrades fall as well. But, please reread that last sentence. Keep in mind that you are reading a fic focused on the very man who destroyed your beloved kingdom. Keep in mind that Deng Ai is a General of Wei, and that each Wei officer and warrior who falls will be as piercing to his heart as the emotions Jiang Wei and his comrades will feel as their friends fall...

And I regret to inform you that Kongming has died in this chapter.

With all that said, I thank you, Shu-ists, for reading this fic this whole time. You have some open-mindedness, at least, for reading a fic focused on the life of the one who destroyed your favorite kingdom. I will do what I can to give the men of Shu the honor they deserve as well, but many of them will die...

As for input on the Shu officer I should write about once the "side stories" or "alternate timelines" for Deng Ai and the "biography" of Xu Sheng are completed, I am fully open to your feedback. However, The Three Spearmen, I regret to inform you that I despise Jiang Wei with a passion. I will do my best to be kind to him, to give him the honor he deserved as a loyal servant of Shu, but I detest him just the same. I refuse to give him the same treatment as I have Deng Ai (but, considering what I've done to his mother, he probably doesn't feel too thankful.) With that said, I hope you enjoy your stay.

To my fellow Wu-ists: Keep the dream up high. Wu is a great Kingdom.

To Wei-ists, well, I'm writing about Deng Ai. Ain't that enough of a tribute from one who considers himself supporting Wei's enemy?

* * *

Chapter 9: Invasion

"General Guo Huai, enough is enough. The Shu army has gathered its strength and is heading north from Saber Pass. At the same time, Gongsun Yuan has drafted an army of his own and plans to crown himself Emperor. It is my duty as Wei's Commander in Chief to destroy him. I'm taking General Guanqiu Jian with me, but you will have to face the enemy with Chen Tai by your side." Sima Yi waved his fan and sighed.

Guo Huai stared at him for a moment. "But... You're not sending me with just him, are you?"

Sima Yi's eyes bulged open. "Tell me you didn't drink too much during the party."

"I... I might have..."

Sima Yi's eyes returned to normal. "Oh, well then. No, I'm giving you several officers of low importance. Many of them are expendable, though they are more useful than the average soldier, some far more so."

"So, then Chen Tai will be my second in command..."

"Yes, and my student Deng Ai will be with him."

"Why?"

"Does the magician ever tell the audience his tricks?"

"No..."

"Therefore, I wouldn't tell you my plan now, would I?"

Guo Jia only stared at Zhongda with his mouth agape as the sly tactician walked away.

* * *

The nation of Shu has always prided itself on upholding the honor of the Han Dynasty. No matter how farfetched it sounds, the warriors of Shu declare themselves the most benevolent of fighters.

But their Prime Minister was dead. Shortly after Deng Ai defended Shou Chun, Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang had engaged each other at the Wuzhang Plains, and Zhongda killed Kongming. He later disregarded the incident, and there were no celebrations in Wei. Not because Kongming wasn't a threat, but because Zhongda regarded his longtime 'rival' as an inferior man not worth mentioning.

Tears came to Jiang Boyue's eyes as he read the will of his teacher:

_"Jiang Wei, I've spent so many years trying to outwit those Wei bastards!... But my time is up. I tried to avenge Wu's defeat on Shou Chun with a quick strike to the Wei territories east of Tian Shui, but I was defeated... It's all up to you. Use everything I've taught you, and use those talents well, for you shall face the greatest of adversaries I've had. Sima Yi will be very worthy prey. My nephew is an incompetent son of a whore, and he is useless to our cause, but you must not fail... Fight on, Jiang Wei, fight for Shu, and maybe, just maybe, we could win this..."_

Turning to Zhang Yi, his second in command, Jiang Wei snarled. "Gather our troops. We shall destroy the curs of Wei!"

* * *

The citadel of Chen Cang has always been a symbol of the tenacity of the Qin Zhou militia. Though Tian Shui has been the provincial capital, and is also an extremely guarded fortress, Chen Cang has had a reputation of having easy to reach supplies and an almost impenetrable wall.

Which is exactly why Guo Huai made it his headquarters. He'd already sent advance letters ordering all officers to arrive as soon as possible. Huffing and puffing, Chen Tai and Deng Ai staggered through the fortress gate. After all, 'twas a general's duty to be punctual.

Guo Huai had a bottle of wine in hand as he addressed his troops. Turning to the two men, he laughed and barked: "Good, you're both here..."

Deng Ai blinked. "Commander, you probably shouldn't intoxicate yourself before the battle."

"Nonsense! Alcohol brings out the hidden power of a man! If there was no alcohol, a warrior's attacks would be far too predictable. Alcohol makes you do the unthinkable, which is critical against tested and wise opponents." Guo Huai answered with a booming laugh.

"But it also destroys your liver... I might not be Hua Tuo, but if you actually spent time in basic anatomy during the academy's training, you'd know that too. After all, knowing how a body ticks is the best way to know yourself and your opponent simultaneously." Deng Ai gave him a scathing glare. (1.)

Guo Huai coughed. "Pah, even if that is so, the destruction of one's liver takes much more than three weeks. By that time the enemy will be destroyed, I'll be a hero, countless women will bear my children, and there will be no purpose for me to continue fighting. In order for that to happen I must win, and in order to win I must make my attacks unpredictable, thus alcohol's the best substance for me now."

"Your funeral." Deng Ai mumbled, turned his heal, and began to stomp away, until Chen Tai grabbed his shoulder.

"He is your commanding officer. Remember that unlike in Shou Chun you are not the commander here. If he were to hand Sima Yi a memorial stating your insubordination, the punishment would be quite severe." Chen Tai stared at the younger man.

"I... Er..." Shizai found it hard to argue with his second teacher.

Guo Huai laughed. "That's your greatest flaw, Xuanbo. You take everything so seriously. It's all in good cheer, right? Shizai only wanted to make certain that his commander would be in perfect health, and got annoyed when I disregarded his advice. He's a good deputy. There's no need to scold him."

Deng Ai glanced at Guo Huai. He was a drunkard, and, to be honest, he could get quite annoying. He also had some disregard for women, and that made Deng Ai crinkle his nose, for he'd seen too many of these fools who insulted their mothers and sisters with such crude actions and behavior. However, he was still a good man, and, as far as he could see it, a good comrade, though it seemed that Chen Tai had known him for much longer and didn't have that great of an opinion about him.

"Anyways, Xuanbo, you shall be my second in command. You've always made it out safe and sound with almost every engagement resulting in a victory, so I have no worries about you. Shizai, you are Sima Yi's student and I've heard many good things about you... That and you seem to hang around with Xuanbo, and since you do, well, then I'm sure you're fully aware of what's good for you. However, you are both generals. We need a Chief Strategist, and Sima Yi has given me the perfect choice..." Guo Huai pointed a finger towards a young man approaching them from a distance.

He wore black robes, the scholar's robe, and looked too scrawny to actually be in combat. He carried a book in his right hand, and Shizai's eyes widened when he saw what it was: Wu Qi's Art of War. It was a rare book, few copies had been circulated, and Sima Yi had read only a fraction of the text, but told Deng Ai that it was very, very insightful and that bit alone helped him decide how he should recruit and employ the right officers for specific tasks. But when Shizai saw the man's face, he gasped.

Sima Wang smiled at his uncle's protegeé. "Long time no see, Deng Shizai."

"I remember the day we met as if it were yesterday. How's it been?" Deng Ai smiled back.

Sima Wang stroked his chin. "Good, I suppose... Ever since my uncle rejected me as a personal student of his, I've been following Lord Man Chong's teachings for a while. With his assistance, as well as Masters Jia Xu and Liu Ye's guidance, I have taken the path of a strategist. Unfortunately, generals, I cannot assist you in hand to hand combat, but I can rally you and our troops and provide you with tactical support." Sima Wang smiled and nodded, then turned to Chen Tai. "General Chen, I've heard that you've taken my friend Shizai under your wing."

Chen Tai laughed. "Yes, that's right. I hope that your uncle is not offended..."

"Of course not. He recommended you two to meet, didn't he? There is no offense possible if it was his decision all along. I am glad to finally meet you in person, General, for I've heard of your great talents for many years." Sima Wang bowed.

Chen Tai and Deng Ai smiled and nodded, and the moment Sima Wang was out of earshot, Chen Tai whispered in the younger man's ear: "Is he always this eccentric?"

Deng Ai chuckled. "He tends to be rather overly polite, that's for certain."

Guo Huai's voice boomed over their heads. "Ok, people! The introductions are over. Now, it's time to move out. We're going to kick some ass or get our own kicked trying! Are you people ready?!" The warrior raised his spear.

The troops cheered and raised their own spears as an answer, and both Chen and Deng were compelled to join them. Even if they wouldn't win, no one couldn't deny that their hearts were firmly in it.

* * *

Jiang Wei glanced at the roster of officers with him. Zhang Yi, Wei Yan, Zhao Yun, Ma Dai, Wang Ping, Yang Yi, Li Yan, Luo Xian, Ning Sui, Guan Xing, and quite a few other generals, though less notable, were more than willing to help him 'kill Wei scum.' With tears in his eyes, he reminded them of Kongming's dream, and reminded them to fight 'till the bitter end, for both his sake, and for all of theirs.

The green flags waved restlessly as they trudged up the mountain passes between Shu and Wei. They swerved through the Yang Ping pass, Lue Yang, and finally approached the Wei town of Xia Bian. In a matter of minutes, the city mayor handed the keys to city hall to General Jiang Wei, and the Shu troops decided to rest in 'liberated' territory.

But the men of Wei prepared their troops and marched towards their foes. In two divisions Guo Huai and Chen Tai closed in on Kongming's student. For too long Jiang Wei had been a pain in their arses. For too long this old traitor had served Shu and had accomplished so many deeds on their behalf. Now it was time for that old traitor to get what he deserved!

* * *

1. Anatomy was not that well developed in ancient China, however, they did know what a liver was, and I think they'd see its damaged form in a drunken man. Putting two and two together is what I did... And Shizai's getting rather feisty, isn't he?


	10. Sea of Thorns

Chapter 10: Sea of Thorns

_"When traversing a sea of thorns, do not stomp about barefoot."_

No matter what they'd say, in his eyes the Han Dynasty was far from dead.

Jiang Wei began to muse as his eyes scanned the vast land before him. True, they were in dire straights, and the traitors were gaining much ground, but by no means were they going to tuck their tails and hide simply because the enemy had the advantage. No, they were going to fight like men, and nothing would stop them.

Twenty four Han Emperors guided this land for so many centuries. To have these curs of Wei, these descendants of brutes and eunuchs take what was rightfully the Liu clan's was folly. How could they live with themselves if Wei were to truly emerge victorious? They'd shame all their ancestors and all their descendants for being so incompetent. No, this was the time to fight and win.

To that end, they stared this endeavor of liberating these wayward territories, and there was no turning back. Forward was the only direction they could move... Even if it meant smashing headfirst into a brick wall.

* * *

"General Guo Huai, we've just received a small contingent of men from the capital... They arrived only fifteen minutes ago." Sima Wang reported as their unit marched forward.

"Oh? And what do they consist of?"

"Additional calvary and a few notable men of rank."

"Such as?" Guo Huai raised an eyebrow, but a bearded man with a feathery helmet immediately answered his question.

"Me. I am Xiahou Ba, eldest son of Xiahou Yuan. Gongsun Yuan's been suffering quite a few defeats at the hands of the Prime Minister, so he decided to recall me from those lines to assist you. But I'm not the only one. My brothers He and Hui shall also assist you in this endeavor."

"Fair enough." Guo Huai smiled. "Even though we haven't engaged that old traitor Jiang Wei yet, we could always have a few more blades on our side."

Xiahou Ba returned the smile, and his two brothers, who looked almost identical to their brother, bowed and smiled as well.

"Ahem." Sima Wang cleared his throat, snapping them all into attention. "Smiling at each other won't get rid of the enemy. I welcome you to this unit, gentlemen, however, Xiahou Ba, since you are the eldest, I suppose you could join up with Chen Tai's unit, a few miles southeast of our position. The enemy is far to the southwest, and they could use an additional officer to help organize their ranks."

"I'll get right on that, master." Xiahou Ba bowed and rode off.

Guo Huai blinked. It seemed strange for Sima Wang to show such force in his words. He honestly seemed like a pansy half the time. What was going on?

Sima Wang pointed to a block of marching soldiers. "Xiahou He and Hui, go there and assume command of that battalion. I intend to use those troops in a flanking maneuver in case Jiang Wei tries to spread out and ensnare our forces."

"Understood." They nodded and sprinted off to that position.

"So, I see you're finally playing the part of master strategist." Guo Huai smirked.

It was Sima Wang's turn to blink. "What's that all about?"

"Nothing."

* * *

"So then I says: 'Hey, you dumb bloke, get offa her!' And den he gits up, and swing ah punch at meh, and ah give him a quick kick to the balls!" A blue shirted man in uniform chuckled.

A few laughs burst around the campfire as the men in Chen Tai's unit camped for the night. They'd come from all walks of life: some farmers, some sailors, some the sons of peasants and paupers who were looking for jobs, yet here they were one.

Chen Xuanbo sat on the cold dirt, twirling a brush in his hand as he looked absent-mindedly at the forest before them. Nearby, Deng Shizai had his sword stabbed in the ground, standing among the troops and chuckling with them all the same.

Chen Tai snapped out of his reverie and, his eyes scanning the area, noticed the boy.

The old man smiled. 'Twas time for this young man to learn what 'being an officer' truly meant. It didn't mean that you were far superior to your troops, otherwise why would they be willing to follow you if you had no concern for their lives? True, you had the right to request them to march in formation and fight alongside you, but that didn't mean that you could sit back and watch them die. No, Shizai chose the path of a general, and in that path a General fights with his army. He slashes his sword beside the myriad of theirs, and they trust him, and his experience, and his judgment because that title of general stands for such things, stands for one's competence on the battlefield, in the discussion table, and by the old Arts of War manuals.

That was why incompetent generals could not exist. When these soldiers place their trust in such a man, they end up getting killed.

The battlefield is horrible: bloody and unpredictable, and even the most talented and respected of warriors can easily fall and be no more, and when that happens kingdoms also fall, and hearts are broken. When heroes die spirits wane and many children are left orphaned. That is the fact of war.

Which is why Chen Tai felt that women should not be on the battlefield. It wasn't because women couldn't fight, no, he'd heard of the lady Sun Shangxiang, and he watched his own daughter train secretly (even when she had no idea that he knew.) Some women could fight far better than ten men, yet women were given a wonderful gift: the gift of bearing a child and siring a new generation, and that gift was far too precious to be destroyed by war.

"Men." He barked suddenly, forcing the soldiers, and Deng Ai, to snap into attention. "The days that will be upon us soon will very likely be days of pain for us. The men of Shu are no fools, they are not cowards, nor are they weak. They are a mighty band of warriors who will do whatever it takes to force us out of these lands. In their eyes, we are traitors, having turned our backs on the Han Dynasty, and with that conviction they will try to destroy us, or force us to succumb to their whims.

"Now we all know that this view of us is quite unfair. Yes, the Han Dynasty watched over our ancestors in days long past, but the recent Emperors of the Liu clan have proven incompetent in their duties as rulers, thus, it is fitting that Emperor Cao Pi took their place. Under his reign there has been some progress in these lands of Wei.

"But the men of Shu do not see that progress. They are blinded by rage, and by the hatred one has for so-called traitors. This is why you cannot afford to look down upon or underestimate our foes. Passion can be a powerful force in war. It can inspire men to die without fear, without regret, and warriors like that are a force to be reckoned with.

"But we men of Wei are not cowards. We are not fools. Let us show these men of Shu the lengths we will go to protect our homes from this pointless war. While they fight for a fallen empire, we fight for what is here now: the Empire of Wei, the empire that stands over our homes. These men of Shu intend to burn through our houses to reach his majesty, and we will not them trample upon us!" Raising his spear, he let out a roar, and his soldiers followed suit.

* * *

"Sir, we've spotted enemy battalions in the northeast. It seems that they're led by General Guo Huai, Commander of the Western Legion. He's not someone we can simply ignore." General Luo Xian informed his superior.

But Jiang Wei yawned. "I've heard of Guo Huai, and that he was able to wrestle a few victories from the Qiang... But the Qiang are old barbarians. Whatever tactics they have are child's play compared to the glory of the Prime Minister. We'll win these battles easily, for Guo Huai has never seen strategy wielded on such a scale. Gather our men, Luo Xian, and rest assured that we'll be victorious."

* * *

"Xuanbo, I've been thinking... The fact that we haven't spotted a single one of them, and that everything seems rather quiet means that the enemy might have spotted us and is trying to lure us into a trap. It would be wise, then, for us to send our scouts to make sure... If we get ambushed, it'll crush our morale, since it would prove that we can't even prevent ambushes in our own territory, and we'll look like idiots." Shizai pointed out.

Chen Tai turned to Deng Ai. "You may be right... Ok, then. Zheng Wen, you are to survey the area and find the Shu positions. Report back to us after two hours, understood?"

"Yes, sir."

* * *

"General Guo Huai, the advance guard is under attack!" A calvary rider rushed from the front lines to inform the General.

"Sima Wang, stay here. I will go engage the enemy. All units, follow me!" Guo Huai twirled his spear and charged forward.

Luo Xian raised his spear. "As commander of Shu's advance guard, I shall kill you, General of Wei!"

Guo Huai smirked. "You seem like a strong warrior, but looks can be deceiving. Let's see if you're worth my time."

Two spears clashed, and waves of horses smashed into each other. For the Han, the men of Shu hacked away. For their homes, the men of Wei countered their every move. Bodies began to fall in earnest.

"Haaah!" One Shu soldier hurled his axe at a Wei counterpart, splicing his opponent's head in half. At the same time, a Wei swordsman ran in the middle of a bunch of Shu troops, and, brandishing his blade, smiled and made several kidney shots with his sword, skewering several kidneys and forcing quite a few Shu soldiers to collapse screaming in pain. The reddish stains of blood quickly made Wei armor look violet and Shu armor look brown, and the dueling Generals were quickly reminded of the horrors of their profession.

Guo Huai turned to Luo Xian. "Maybe you should order a retreat and allow your soldiers to recover."

"Unlike you, I know when my soldiers can handle the enemy and when they can't, coward!"

"_A wise general knows when to retreat._"

"_A coward runs from the fight._"

"_When his soldiers are perfectly capable of fending off the enemy._ Mind you, I hear your troops screaming for their lives. It's over, Luo Lingze. Put down your arms or just run for your life. If you do the former, I'd be happy, and I'd make sure that you would be too. If you do the latter, well, I won't stop you."

Luo Xian raised his spear. "We Han loyalists will never bow to curs of Wei, nor will we run like stupid dogs. We shall kill as many of you as possible, and we shall live, for our friends under the Supreme Commander Jiang Wei will arrive and crush you!"

With that he knocked Guo Huai aside, sending the General off his horse. Guo Huai's helmet struck a boulder lying on the ground head first, and the commanding officer was knocked out cold. The Wei troops, seeing their commander lying prone on the ground, began to panic, and the Shu army, though having taken many casualties, quickly took advantage of the loss of enemy morale to strike their foes with everything they had.

Then Jiang Wei himself appeared, his men ripping through Guo Huai's lines like a sword cutting through rice paper. The men of Wei, though brave, had their spirit broken when they saw their leader fall so quickly and easily. But before they began to retreat, another banner arrived from the east: the banner of General Chen Tai!

* * *

"Zheng Wen proved quite incompetent in the task, but thankfully we were able to figure out the enemy's ambush and thus took them out before they could do us any harm. Looks like we came just in time." Deng Ai sighed.

"I will go try to save Guo Huai and his main unit directly. You, Shizai, should strike them from whatever weak point towards the rear you can find. That way, we'll confuse them and save our allies simultaneously." Chen Tai ordered.

"Very well." Deng Ai nodded and rushed into the fray.

His sword glowed with a silver light as Shizai brought it down on many a Shu soldier. By a stroke of luck, Shizai and his entire battalion found themselves in the middle of the enemy's supply train. As they hacked away at the escorts, forcing them to run for their lives, Chen Tai had a much harder time fighting with Jiang Wei. But, seeing his supply lines cut off, Jiang Wei was forced to retreat, and the Wei army was victorious. The Shu army fled to Xia Bian and kept the passes to the town sealed with their own archers and elite troops, forcing the Wei army to encamp themselves in the mountains south of Chen Cang. Unfortunately, they didn't gain much ground at all.

But, at this time, Sima Yi returned from destroying Gongsun Yuan. With Guanqiu Jian busy in the north, Sima Yi demanded a higher title from Cao Rui, who was forced to oblige, making him Duke of Jingzhou. 

At court, General Xiahou Shang objected to Sima Yi's decision, and, after assassinating the wayward General, Zhongda decided to order a recall of all Xiahou officers, and thus kill each one of them. Xiahou Ba, realizing that because the Xiahou's were related to the Cao's, and would thus be more keen on protecting their interests in Wei, Sima Yi would kill them all. To preserve his own life, and perhaps save Cao Rui through indirect means, Xiahou Ba deserted and fled to Shu, where Jiang Wei welcomed him with open arms.

Guo Huai awoke to find that Xiahou Ba had already betrayed them. He turned worriedly to Chen Tai and Deng Ai. With Xiahou Ba in the enemy ranks, Jiang Wei would know their troop strength, most favored formations, and the strength of the majority of their fortifications. After all, Xiahou Ba had been a Wei officer for a while, and he'd been part of their unit long enough to know such things. Wei's victory might end up being a defeat... Sima Yi had made such a stupid move.

* * *

I guess when something sounds too good to be true, it tends to be so. 

This thing said that OpenOffice documents retain all of their formatting. Unfortunately, it seems that the separators I used aren't working.

The quick edit to this chapter was made before I realized this, and because of that I had to make changes. I realize that this must have happened in earlier chapters, only that I was too lazy to check up on them. I'll change them later, though, because now I have to pack, as I'm going to be heading back home from college for Spring Break. WOO HOO!

So, yeah, take care, everyone! 


	11. You're Never Alone

Here's a treat, everyone. A Review Reply Special!

_Getting Distracted_: Had only you left an e-mail, friend. Then I could thank you in person... But, what the hey: THANK YOU SO MUCH! And, yes, I will continue this fic till it ends, just not updating nearly as quickly.

_SilentNinja_: 'Tis the duty of comrades to always stick around for each other. Best of luck for your fics, man.

_Crystallia Silver_: Your talent far outshines whatever paltry things I have. I said this before, and I'll say this again, once I gain the energy, I will take notes for each of your fics. You are brilliant, and I am not pulling this out of my anal pore. I seriously recommend to you dear readers, please, pay her fics a visit. They deserve it far more than many of my earlier works.

_The Three Spearmen_: Thanks for sticking around, bud, and, I warned you: There are many Shu casualties in this chapter, as well as more Wei ones, so I think you'll be happy there. (But our main character won't be.)

Moving on...

* * *

Chapter 11: You're Never Alone

Jiang Wei, Xiahou Ba, and the rest of Shu's commanding officers gathered together in Boyue's war tent. "The enemy has posts all along this mountain range, in order to spot ground troops moving through each pass. Therefore, we will need siege weapons and fleet-footed troops to rush up the mountain and attack those posts once the siege weapons have struck them. The siege weapons must be mounted correctly, otherwise their shots will miss and, thus, our troops will be slaughtered." Xiahou Ba spoke, beginning the meeting.

Jiang Wei nodded as he observed the war map. "Li Hui, you will lead this strike force as it overwhelms the first enemy mountain post. You have had great success leading infantry units, and I expect your guidance of this battalion to be no different. We'll need you to take this post without fail, otherwise our calvary will be spotted and overrun by the Wei patrols."

* * *

"...Our mountain posts are all known by the enemy, now that they have Xiahou Ba. Thus, we should withdraw the majority of them, leaving the first three intact. However, we should recall several, but not all of the soldiers from each post. That way, when they strike the first post the other two can make a concerted effort to stall them. When they take the first post, it will give them a false sense of victory that they overwhelmed one of our positions. After all, soon they will surround each mountain, thus trapping our soldiers on its peak, and that we cannot afford." Chen Tai pointed vigorously at the battle map.

"Fine, so we evacuate those posts... Then how can we counter an enemy attack?"

"Simple. We ambush them."

"Ambush them? But if we've lost the posts on each summit, how will our ambush be successful?"

"Simple. We leave our flags on the top of each post and retreat back to Chen Cang."

"What?!"

"Commander Guo Huai, it is best to make use of what we have. We know that Xiahou Ba knows everything about the positions we established much earlier. It would be wise, then, to change our strategy completely. Even if they have Xiahou Ba, he was not stationed in Chen Cang with us, thus, he may know vaguely the setup of the Chen Cang fortress, but does not know the details of the establishment. That we can use to our advantage, that, and the fact that Xiahou Ba never set foot in Tian Shui to the northeast helps our position even further."

"But Xuanbo, Tian Shui is deep within Wei's "border zone." You'd be giving our enemy large chunks of our territory."

"That, and I am also giving them a false sense of security. Remember, Jiang Wei is no different than Zhuge Kongming. He believes himself to be far superior than us, and, thus, we can use his arrogance to our advantage. Because he thinks us inferior, he will not adequately estimate our intelligence and/or troop strength. Thus, even with Xiahou Ba telling him everything he knows, Jiang Wei will have no idea what we are capable of." Chen Tai smiled.

"Then let us try your tactic... After all, we have nothing better to do." Guo Huai sighed, with worry etched all over his face.

"Very well. Shizai, you will be stationed here, in Chen Cang. I will keep Hao Zhao with you. (1.) If you receive reports of Tian Shui's fall, do not panic. Rather, keep him and the bulk of your army here while you report back to the capital. If Guanqiu Jian returns with you, we may see victory. Otherwise, at the very least we'll likely keep this position, even if we lose the cities to the west."

"But, Chen Tai, you are risking so much... Wei cannot afford to lose a warrior like you." Sima Wang spoke up.

"Indeed, but Lord Sima Wang, as long as you stay in Chen Cang, you will be able to, at the very least, help advise Hao Zhao how to keep this position secure and your men alive. Isn't that the mark of a strategist, and the reason why they were hired in the first place? To keep men alive?"

"You act as though winning the battle means so little to you." Sima Wang pointed out.

Chen Tai laughed. "You've been staring at me this whole time, and, fine, I'll be honest with you. I do not think that victory lies in the horizon for us."

"Why do you say that?"

"We might be able to make Xiahou Ba much less useful than he currently is, but he's still been a relatively important and influential Wei officer. He has his sources, I'm sure, and with them he'll still be able to keep some sort of tabs on us. That, and he's gone through the same sort of training that all Wei generals have, and, because of that, he'll know the vast majority of the tactics we Wei warriors use against the enemy. Xiahou Ba is no fool, and it would be absolutely laughable if I were to disregard him as a major threat. It's up to you, then, and Shizai to keep our morale high and our hopes up once I am overwhelmed by the enemy at Tian Shui. I will use all my power to hold the city, but I fear that the end may be near for me."

"Then what of General Guo Huai?"

"I will guide my longtime colleague, friend, and commander till the end, that I assure you."

Sima Wang could only stare at Chen Tai. Did he not fear death, or was he so loyal and brave as to brush its worrying influence aside and focus on the future?

The older man smiled, and spoke a few more words. "And support Deng Shizai even if I am truly lost in battle. I predict that the boy will achieve great things, even if I am not there to help guide him. He does not need me to become a brilliant commander of men."

Sima Wang could only stare in silence as Chen Tai and Guo Huai marched for Tian Shui.

Turning back towards Chen Cang, he shook his head. "Why is it that war must take the lives of good men and let bad men profit from their deaths?" He sighed into the cold air.

* * *

_And as the men of Wei waited at their headquarters, Luo Xian, Li Yan, and Ma Dai arrived to destroy them..._

"This is General Luo Xian of the Shu Han army, you traitors are ordered to surrender immediately, for if you do so, your lives might be spared."

"On the contrary, invaders, you are speaking to General Deng Ai of Wei. Withdraw your men and flee back to your little southern abode, or prepare to be driven out with great force."

"Leader of traitors, your crimes against the Han are unspeakable. You must be punished severely. Catapults, fire!" Luo Xian raised his arms, and huge stones flew at the Wei barricade.

"Everyone, take cover!" Sima Wang yelled as the men of Wei dove under their large wall. They could hear the smash and boom of the rocks hurled at them from afar, and as they huddled together, Hao Zhao muttered: "The fact that Jiang Wei isn't with them means that he's split his force to strike Tian Shui."

Deng Ai nodded: "Tian Shui is Jiang Wei's hometown... Oh, Xuanbo, it was suicide for you to defend that city..." He groaned in worry and frustration.

Another smash of a boulder against their precious wall forced Shizai back to his senses. "We can't just stand here... We'll need a fast strike team to take them off guard and force them to halt their fire... Calvary should do the trick, they'll arrive in time. Riders of Wei, are you ready to come with me to ensure the survival of our comrades?"

Thirty men eagerly answered him, and thus Shizai and this small band of riders charged out of Chen Cang's gates, heading for the enemy battery. With arrows, javelins, and pointed instruments of all kinds, the men of Shu tried to stop them from advancing, but they leapt over their aggressors and hacked away at the lines connecting the catapults, causing them to crumble.

The moment he saw the enemy artillery collapse before the might of Wei, Hao Zhao yelled: "Everyone, charge!"

Massive waves of Wei infantry poured over the shocked warriors of Shu. Little had they anticipated such a desperate move by Deng Ai, who had been reported as some inexperienced and wary tactician who would likely 'play it safe' in order to keep his men alive. This move by Shizai, and the subsequent charge by Hao Zhao, caught them completely off guard.

Frantic, faced with a completely unpredictable foe, and having had their best weapon, the terrifying catapult, out of commission, the men of Shu began to run. There was little concern for where they were running, or for the security of the Shu front lines, or for the liberation of these wayward territories. No, one's life was the only thing one would worry about in such circumstances. Better a live army ready to fight another day, than a dead one having been annihilated by one's foes.

Luo Xian felt humiliated. Here he was, ordered by Jiang Wei to destroy Deng Ai and Hao Zhao's unit in Chen Cang, and now he was defeated by such a pathetic gamble. Did his men have no spine? Even if one were to march through fog, one should still fight bravely, for the duty to one's nation should be the most important concern of all.

But did his men care? No. These idiots only wanted to survive, to make love to their wives and ensure that they wouldn't lose their worthless lives. If they wished to run like idiotic cowards, so be it. He would not run. No, he'd kill as many Wei bastards as it took to make his life as a warrior meaningful. He'd make this 'Deng Shizai' fear the name of Luo Lingze!

But as he turned around, expecting his colleague Li Yan to help him, he found his comrade running in the opposite direction, along with the rest of his spineless troops.

"Fine, go keep on living, worthless coward." Luo Xian mumbled as he drew his blade.

Deng Ai dismounted and stepped forward. "General Luo Xian, it seems as though your men have abandoned you. Are you still willing to keep up the fight, alone? Or, are you willing to fight for a more worthwhile cause? And if you wish to retreat, I will not stop you."

"As long as I draw breath, I shall fight for the Han. Draw your sword, for I don't believe you to be the sort of petty bastard who overwhelms a man with thousands."

"Fair enough. Let us see who will prevail."

Swinging their blades, the two men dashed forward, neither willing to cease this pointless duel.

Leaping from side to side, the young Wei officer wanted to see what techniques this Shu officer would use against him. He hardly faced any actual Shu officer in combat, as much of the fighting was coordinated by Chen Tai and led by Guo Huai.

Luo Xian held a sword, with a spear hitched on his back. Deng Ai saw Guo Huai fall before Luo Xian's spear, so he knew that this opponent was an expert with that weapon. However, Chen Tai taught Shizai quite a bit about swordsmanship, and he hoped that he be so close to Luo Xian that the enemy general wouldn't be able to pull out his lance for fear of getting attacked.

So Shizai dived forward, and, once again, surprised Luo Xian with his recklessness. The Han warrior laughed mentally. What kind of fool was this Shizai?

Deng Ai kept close to Luo Xian as the two clashed blades. The screech of metal pierced Sima Wang's ears as he watched the pair, his teeth chattering at both the cold wind that began to come from the mountain peaks, and the cold glare in both men's eyes. That, and if Deng Ai were to fall now, well, they'd be finished.

The rest of Wei's soldiers watched the duel impatiently. "Damn it! Why can't we just go in there and kill him off?! If he wins this duel, we'll look like pansies!"

"But to attack a single man with a thousand is dishonorable." Hao Zhao pointed out.

"Honor be dammed! We'll kick his ass!" They yelled back as they began to run towards the dueling pair.

"You can't even control your own men! Hah, how pathetic!" Luo Xian laughed.

At that moment, Shizai yelled back at them. "Only cowards would attack a man with such great numbers! Are we cowards and petty bastards, or are we the soldiers of Wei?"

The troops stopped for a moment, and one of them yelled: "We've got the brains here. You can't beat him because you're nothing but an arrogant pansy!"

To silence these rowdy men, Hao Zhao of Wei did the unthinkable. Hurling a javelin, he pierced the complaining soldier's skull. "Now, will anyone complain, or shall the fight continue?" He growled, sounding little better than a rabid wolf.

The soldiers immediately froze, and watched their duel in peace.

"Now to kill you quickly!" Luo Xian laughed again.

For every stroke Shizai thrust at his opponent, Lingze countered with a quick block. It seemed completely impossible for either warrior to take a decent hit. Shizai was too fast, and Lingze was too skilled.

But, suddenly, Shizai began to feel great fatigue. As he began to pant and move slower, Luo Xian thust his sword forward, stabbing through the left edge of Deng Ai's left leg. With a scream, he tried to fight back the pain. Frantic, terrified, and brimming with adrenaline, Deng Shizai grabbed tightly onto his sword in his right hand, and stabbed upwards, right into Luo Xian's stomach.

Coughing blood, the Shu general fell, cursing his Wei foe with his last breath: "May heaven damn you, traitor!" His bleeding lips barely murmured before they were silenced.

Deng Ai collapsed, and watched as the last of Shu's banners fled into the distance.

When he came to, Sima Wang gave him the news. Chen Tai and Guo Huai were lost. The surviving troops, hastily fleeing from fortress Tian Shui, reported that Jiang Wei killed Guo Huai in hand to hand combat. Chen Tai fortified the fortress and continued to fight, but these retreating Wei soldiers watched as Shu artillery smashed the main gate to pieces, and cringed as countless calvary troops poured into the city.

Mounting his horse, Shizai turned to Hao Zhao and Sima Wang. "Friends, I leave the defense of this fort to you. Hold off the enemy for as long as you can, and I will bring as many reinforcements as I can... If Guanqiu Jian or, I'd hate to say it, Zhong Hui is among them, we may see victory even after such crushing defeats... May heaven watch over you, comrades."

"Same to you, Deng Shizai." Sima Wang bowed. Hao Zhao, shrugging his shoulders, did the same, and Deng Ai rode into the distance.

* * *

He arrived in Changan, where Chen Tai's family lived. He had to inform them of the circumstances, for, after all, in many ways he considered himself one of them.

As he marched past the rows of troops in Changan, they bowed their heads in sympathy. Word spread quickly when someone of the Wei army was defeated, and Chen Tai was one of their more honorable and accomplished warriors.

Shizai walked into the Chen family residence, where he was greeted by, of all things, a butler?

"Sir, may I ask what business you have here?"

"I would like to see the Lady Li Hua, as well as Lord Chen Wen and the Lady Chen Xin. (2.)

"Unfortunately, I cannot accept your request."

"Yes, yes you can!" Another voice yelled out.

"Is that?" Deng Ai peered over the butler's shoulder to see Chen Wen walking towards the pair.

"Let him in, Shen Qing."

"Understood, young master." The butler bowed and stepped aside to let Deng Ai through, closing the door behind him.

Deng Ai whispered in Chen Wen's ear. "You people have a butler?"

Chen Wen nodded. "Mom's inheritance, or right, if you'd like to call it that. Shen Qing's been considered a 'servant' by the Chen clan since the day he was born, unfortunately... We began to pay him shortly after grandpa passed away, but he insists on acting like a servant, when he's more like a hired hand to make our lives a bit easier. Servants don't get paid, he does. We owe him a lot, so I tend to shut up about it."

"I need to speak to your mother and sister as well."

"They're in the dining room... We just finished dinner, you see." Chen Wen nodded, leading him in.

"Shizai!" He heard a voice.

"Xin... Good to see you!"

"Why didn't you or dad give us any sign that you were ok?" She snarled, stomping towards him with her hand outstretched. "Seriously, for all we knew, you both could be dead!" Her face began to turn red with rage.

Deng Ai backed off with his arms up. "Alright, alright... A pleasure to meet you, Lady Li."

"The pleasure is mine. Xuanbo told me much about you. He values you highly as a student, and, well, as an adopted son. I trust he had good reason to put such good faith on you." Li Hua bowed and smiled sweetly.

"This pathetic kid does what he can to be worthy of that honor." Shizai bowed back. "And, um, Chen Xin, I came to tell you..." Deng Ai looked away, unable to speak any further.

Li Hua shot up from her chair, her hands covering her mouth in horror. "It can't be...!"

"No..." Chen Xin shook her head.

"Xin..."

"NO! DAMN YOU!" She stomped forward and gave him a hard slap to the face. Chen Wen stared at Deng Ai with a raised eyebrow, probably pondering whether he should add a swift kick to the groin as punishment, or leave the deserved torture to his older sister.

"You never write back, and now this?! WHY THE HELL DID HE GO ON THAT MISSION ANYWAY?! ANYONE COULD TELL THAT JIANG WEI WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL HE 'LIBERATED' THAT DAMN TIAN SHUI... And, now... Now my father is dead..." Chen Xin cringed at the final word, tears beginning to fill her eyes as her fists continued to be clenched and menacing.

"Missing in action..." Deng Ai tried to console her.

"Big difference." Chen Wen scoffed, barely holding back his own hurt and rage.

Deng Ai glared at the younger boy, only to receive three back at him.

"For... Forgive me..." Deng Ai coughed. His own face beginning to contort in pain when he thought of what could have happened to his father.

"Tell us more..." Li Hua stared at him calmly, even though he could tell she was enraged. Calm anger was the most frightening thing a person could master indeed.

Deng Ai cringed. "We gathered our troops and attacked the advancing enemy army from Chen Cang."

"Yet there are many mountain passes and countless old command posts. How could your troops arrive safely without being ambushed in your own turf?" Li Hua asked, her eyebrow raised in furious interest.

"We... We were able to make it in time. Jiang Wei was wary about the surrounding area, because he feared those very ambushes you pointed out, Lady Li. After we marched for some distance, General Xiahou Ba and his brothers He and Hui were sent to assist us. With their help, we were able to use quicker routes to approach the enemy. After gathering our troops and continually advancing, Prime Minister Sima Yi ordered a recall of all Xiahou officers, and we learned that Xiahou Shang was executed shortly before this edict. Xiahou He and Hui returned to the capital, armed and ready to avenge their cousin..."

"And shortly after they arrived, assassins struck them and their heads were poised clearly in Luoyang's marketplace. They were branded as imperial traitors, but I knew that wasn't the case..." Li Hua stroked her chin.

"Xiahou Ba, fearing for his life, defected and ran off to Shu." Deng Ai continued.

"Why didn't you stop him?!" Chen Xin demanded, but her mother hushed her silent.

"Continue." Li Hua nodded.

"Thus, Xuanbo immediately devised a plan: to force the mountain posts to retreat some of their forces back to our base. That way, we wouldn't be wasting their lives, and they'd still stall the enemy. Xiahou Ba knew about our posts, so they were hardly any use for ambushes. We regrouped in Chen Cang, and Xuanbo left the fort with Commander Guo Huai, hoping to reinforce Tian Shui and hold it against Jiang Wei's coming assault. Luo Xian of the Shu army arrived to lay siege to Chen Cang, and I broke the siege, facing him in a duel and taking a serious injury." Shizai winced, showing them his leg. "I collapsed from exhaustion, for Luo Xian was quite a talented opponent, and when I came to I received the news that Tian Shui had virtually fallen."

"So... So after winning every battle, father was finally defeated."

Deng Ai nodded. "Even the best of warriors have bitter defeats. Chen Tai was one of the greatest Wei generals that ever lived."

Li Hua stroked her chin. "So the wise men say. But I can hardly believe that he'd go only with Guo Huai... Unless... He knew he was going to be defeated!" Li Hua's eyes widened in shock.

"Mom?!" Chen Xin gasped.

"Mom!" Chen Wan shivered in shock.

"I see now... He knew that Jiang Wei would take the city at all costs, and it would only be a matter of time before he'd emerge victorious. If he knew all this, then my husband must still be alive! You must send a search party immediately!" Li Hua's face quickly bathed itself in hope.

"Very well..." Deng Ai nodded. "I shall go call for reinforcements immediately."

"Stay where you are!" Chen Xin warned.

Chen Wen, Li Hua, and Deng Ai all stared at Chen Tai's daughter.

"I'm going with you, idiot! Maybe with a better brain by your side, you'll be able to save my father and make up for this screw-up." Chen Xin growled.

Deng Ai nodded. "As you wish."

* * *

1. Technically, if Kongming is dead, Hao Zhao should have been gone long by now, but I brought him here so late, and, cruel as it may sound, I can finish the job later.

2. Chen Qun, Chen Tai's father, is considered a member of Wei's nobility, so his family and children all have a "title" of sorts.


	12. With Her Beside Me

Chapter 12: With Her Beside Me...

As the cold winter wind blew past Luoyang palace, a single noise broke every eardrum within twenty miles of the palace wall. That noise was a scream, and the person who screamed was, well...

"_WHAT DO YOU MEAN GUANQIU JIAN ISN'T AVAILABLE?!"_

The clerk nearly had a heart attack from the blast of sound coming from her lungs. Deng Ai froze, his ears melting from the blast. Yeah, that girl could scream, and she was definitely more than pissed.

Chen Xin's cheeks were blood red. Her eyes were blood red. If looks could kill, Sima Yi's clerk would be a burnt spot on the carpet.

Deng Ai thought he could hear Sima Wang laughing at him: "And that's the girl you've fallen for. By the heavens, Zhongda, you really have no sense when it comes to girls, huh?"

And though he'd hate to admit it, Shizai's eccentric friend would be right. Chen Xin really was a demon when she got pissed.

He approached her carefully, putting his hand on her shoulder. "There's no point in blowing out a lung over him, is there?" He asked calmly, and as sincerely as he possibly could.

She swung her head and glared intensely at him, but, after pausing for a few seconds, her fangs retracted back into her mouth and she gave him a small smile. "You're right. I don't have to kill myself over him." She glared back at the clerk. "Tell me where your boss is."

"Milady..."

"Tell me!"

"Yes'm. He is currently on lunch break."

"Lunch break?! Shizai almost gets himself killed around this time during most missions, and the Prime Minister's on break?! What kind of system has my father been working for?!"

"That kind of attitude is not proper for a lady..."

"But I can't afford to be ladylike when I have to deal with you idiots, now can I?"

The clerk gasped. No one had never been so feisty to him before.

"Know your place, girl! You might be the daughter of Chen Tai, but I am the clerk of Sima Yi!"

"And Deng Ai here is Sima Yi's former pupil and one of Wei's generals, isn't that right, Shizai?" She turned back to him with a smile. Slowly turning her head back,giving the clerk the most menacing glare possible, Chen Xin added: "And even if I am 'merely' the daughter of commander Chen Tai, a General in Wei clearly outranks a clerk, right? And Shizai's agenda is the same as mine, so by his ordinance, you must take us to your boss."

The clerk was really getting on Deng Ai's nerves. He kinda reminded him of Zhong Hui, for they were the sort of people to cling on some petty rank and act as though they were the kings of the world. Shizai chuckled a bit. In the Analects, when Confucius spoke of petty men, who would grovel over minute advantages even when others had to suffer for it, this clerk and his haughty nature seemed to have hardly any difference from those of that description.

The clerk looked at Deng Ai, and his armor and his sword, and noting that Shizai could easily cut him in half, he had to obey and help the pair reach Sima Yi.

Zhongda leaned on his chair as they entered his office. "Ah, Shizai! Long time no see!" Sima Yi smiled.

"Whatever happened to Guanqiu Jian?!" Chen Xin demanded, not willing to go through the 'formal' bullcrap.

"Ah, yes, he's currently stationed in Korea, destroying the Koguryo army. Soon enough we shall conquer Korguryo."

"Why must his talents be wasted on pointless conquest? What has Koguryo ever done to us, other than raid Liaodong a couple of times? We don't have to destroy that entire state..." Chen Xin scoffed. (1.)

"To give Wei more prestige and resources, you see..."

"We've lost Tian Shui, and we're about to lose Chen Cang! When we're losing more territory than we earn, don't you think that we ought to counter attack and restore our territory rather than greedily conquer others?!"

"Actually, girl, review your maps. Koguryo is far larger than the western territories surrounding Tian Shui, and even if they take Chen Cang we'll still be acquiring more land."

"Fine... But taking Chen Cang will give them a chance to strike Changan, and I'm sure you don't want the Eastern Capital to fall into the hands of those Han troops. They'll claim that it's the beginning of the end for you "rebels," and your troops will swiftly lose morale, or at least they'll be much more willing to crush you and much less fazed when they lose units... That and Luoyang will be exposed to enemy fire with Changan's fall."

"However, you are not in command here, girl. I am, so cease your whining." Sima Yi sneered.

"So you don't care if we lose Changan?"

"That's not it, just close that pathetic mouth of yours and let me think..." Sima Yi leaned further in his chair, and clasped his hands in front of his face, his features contorted in a deep pensive.

Shizai, too, began to ponder. If Zhongda refused to give them reinforcements, he'd have to achieve victory on his own, with only Chen Xin's, Sima Wang's, and Hao Zhao's help... But what could he do?

Sima Yi smirked when he saw the worried look on Deng Ai's face, and this made Chen Xin even more angry. "Why are you so merry when he's trying to solve such a difficult problem _that you're just ignoring because you're some heartless, greedy..._"

"That's enough, Xin... Know your place..." Deng Ai stared back at her. She snapped her attention back at him, but seeing both sternness and worry in his eyes, she realized that he was worried for her, and that maybe her tongue was too sharp. She nodded and decided to keep silent. After all, Sima Zhongda wasn't worth the strain on her vocal cords.

Sima Yi smiled even wider. "Keep her on a leash, and, Shizai, I'm going with you."

"What?" Both Deng Ai and Chen Xin's eyes widened.

"Yes, I've decided to show that simpleton that he's not even worth that piece of filth of a teacher of his. Zhuge Kongming, though also a rat, was at least a smarter rat than this Jiang Boyue. Jiang Wei is going to die by my hand, and I suppose rescuing Chen Tai wouldn't hurt. We will gather our troops and leave in six hours. Get ready to move." Sima Yi nodded and shooed them out.

* * *

"Six hours, huh? I wonder who else will be accompanying us..." Shizai mumbled as the two sat at a small street vendor's hut.

Chen Xin continued to sip her drink. "Probably some arrogant gits like him and a few thousand soldiers. He probably doesn't think Jiang Wei much of a threat... I can't believe you had to stoop low enough to be his student, or father had to stoop low enough to obey his orders."

Deng Ai put his hand on her shoulder, startling her. "Speaking of which, Xin, it's far too dangerous for you to have such a sharp tongue. You know how petty they can get. Sooner or later they might want to hurt you."

Chen Xin laughed. "For what? Over a few words? Please, then they're the one's who need help."

"Indeed... But I don't want to know what they'll do to you when they're enraged... You're a woman, and, well, they won't respect that when they..."

Chen Xin nearly choked on her drink. "Shizai!" She stared at him, face red from both embarrassment and shock.

"I'm not joking..." He stared at her seriously, and she immediately went silent. "I... I don't want you to get hurt."

She stared at him for a moment. "Then you understand how I feel when I see you ride off into battle... When I never get any letter from you in months... When I stay up at night wondering if you were ambushed or overwhelmed by the Shu army and imprisoned or executed by them..." She began to mumble, and her eyes began to water as she stared into his.

"Xin, it's my duty..."

"Duty to whom? To bastards like Sima Zhongda to whom you're just another pawn he can use for his ambitions?"

"No, for Wei..."

"The same words my father used. Well, Wei is dead. With Cao Rui gone, the nation we were once proud of has now become a puppet state under Sima Yi. He might not be Emperor, and, hell, his son might not even take the reins yet, but sooner or later the official Empire of Wei will not exist, and the Wei we've known for so long is gone. Now it's merely Sima Yi's nation, with Cao Mao as his scapegoat in case anything goes wrong."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"I... I honestly don't know anymore."

"Heh..." Shizai chuckled bitterly. "To think that we're fighting people who'd agree with us on so many levels... But we came here to save Xuanbo, and we're not leaving... If only conflict could be less intense, eh?"

"Indeed... Maybe dealing with Jiang Wei every day wouldn't nearly be as bad as dealing with that git, at least Jiang Wei doesn't intend to manipulate everyone for his entire lifetime in order to become ridiculously powerful. All he wants to do is conquer all of China and restore the Han so that he can be famous and have the people sing his praises as 'the greatest Han loyalist of all time.'"

"Sad how fame and power consume the agendas of so many great men, eh, Xin?"

"But you're not like that, right Shizai?" She stared intently at him.

"Well, being famous wouldn't hurt..." He smiled.

"But it's not like you really care or anything, right?" She looked serious now.

Shizai's face immediately went serious. "Right."

Chen Xin shook her head. "These freaks are so obsessed with power that they forget what its purpose is. They let so many people suffer... You're wearing that hat... You know what I'm talking about! Those nomads would never have handed it to you unless they deemed you a good and worthy person. You've seen how they live... But are you aware of the fact that countless villages and small towns have hardly any better living conditions? I'm sure you saw me enter the house just before we met. My clothes looked weathered, as though I'd been out for a few weeks, right? Well, I went traveling for a while, which isn't easy for a single girl like me, but I managed just fine. I saw countless villages as I wandered about. The people there..."

"Were wandering about as though their lives were hopeless, and their houses looked so horrible that even dogs with thick fur would have a hard time surviving in them, right? Yeah, I've seen it too. But every nation has its horrible slums. We were born here in Wei, and to betray Wei would be turn put our families in danger. Even if Sima Zhongda is a heartless bastard, which he is, we're caught on a pretty tight leash..."

"So you're just going to sit here and take it?"

"Would you try to tear yourself out of the chain, when all you'll succeed in doing is choking yourself to death? No, Xin, we have to play it smart. If we were try to bail out now, then we'd be branded as traitors for eternity, and your family might even be attacked for our incredibly stupid move. No, we have to stay where we are, and stick with the status quo... Once we're able to relocate your folks much closer to a border town, we can discuss fleeing the country and defecting, or once those who despise Zhongda gain enough power, we can join them in the hopes that we can restore Wei to what it was truly meant to be, but for now we have to sit it out."

"Hmn..." She turned away from him and continued to sip her drink. Shizai sighed. Why did she have to be so stubborn with everything?

They sat there for half an hour, when she turned and smiled at him.

"Shizai..."

"Xin?"

She suddenly scooted closer to him and put her hand on his. "I don't want to ever see you get hurt... You... You mean so much to me..."

Deng Ai suddenly laughed. "What's with the awkwardness? You know how I feel about you... You can come out and say it."

At this point her eyes narrowed. "Actually, I don't. It's not like you've had much experience yourself."

Deng Ai immediately stopped kidding around. "Xin, you've been one of the most critical people in my life... I've really had few friends... I could just list them off in minutes, but no matter how many acquaintances came and went, you always were willing to listen to me."

It was Chen Xin's turn to laugh. "Are you trying to flatter me or something? Half the time I knew you, you were out on missions like you had no time for me!"

"Fine... But whenever we talked, or had some way of keeping in touch, you always made me feel comfortable, like I was among loved ones..."

Chen Xin was taken aback. "We're family, aren't we...?"

He gingerly took her other hand and grasped on it tightly. "I'd like us to be more than that..."

He honestly expected her to take her 'free' hand, the hand that was still over his, and give him a punch to the face. But, instead, she leaned even closer to him, and beamed. "You know, come to think of it, I'd like that too.."

She was always the more aggressive of the pair, and her lips hungrily shot through the air in search of his. Softness pressed against softness as the two pairs met. Deng Ai and Chen Xin had almost no experience with this activity, and so it was very, very awkward for both of them, but, somehow, this awkwardness didn't bother them in the slightest.

* * *

Man, time truly flies when you've found that special someone...

They'd been doing nothing, really, just sitting side by side in that street vendor's hut, and taking a stroll through Changan's city streets. Together, it seemed that time didn't matter. He wondered what his men would think, and how Xuanbo would react to him 'stealing' his daughter.

Chen Xin was never one for romance stories. They featured the same, boring, idiotic plot about the emotions between two people, and they were normally written in an extremely awkward manner, where he shouts out: "I love you!" And where the woman would reply: "So do I!" And they'd hug and kiss and show their relationship to the world, and no one would look at them strangely for making a romantic declaration and several 'erotic' gestures in plain sight. Many people who'd write them were the kind of people who never had romance in their life, who never found that special someone and, because of that, they'd write the worst tales on the subject ever. She was sick of them.

And now she was stuck in her own little awkward romance story. But she could hardly complain. He'd been such a jerk for so long, never giving her any sign that he was still alive, and coming back to tell her that he'd broken their promise. But even after all those feelings of hurt and anger simmered in her, she could hardly keep them warm as she looked into his eyes. She just couldn't stay mad at him... Why was that? She tried to figure out what was going on, but, after feeling him beside her, she thought: "Ah, hell, might as well enjoy the moment..."

And they'd spent six hours together, just sitting there together, doing nothing in particular, when Sima Yi finally ordered all troops to move out.

The warriors of Wei laughed when they saw a woman march beside them. Women were weak, they could hardly match a man in combat. The few who succeeded in doing so were either cleverly disguised eunuchs or they were freaks of nature who were legendary male generals in some previous life, and this girl clearly wasn't a warrior, so why the hell was she here?

Chen Xin scoffed at those idiots. They moped around, thinking that their burly muscles could save them and conquer anything. Hah! Strategy was what kept those idiots alive, not their muscles, though those did help. But brute strength could only do so much when the enemy outsmarts you, predicts your every move, and ambushes you with swift, sudden strikes that catch you off guard and force you to tremble in fear. Tactics could cut down even the mightiest of warriors.

And if their dirty brains were thinking anything inappropriate, as she was soon to be their commander of sorts, Xin had Shizai to stand beside her and ensure that they wouldn't give her trouble.

"Very well, men. You know the drill. We are to retake all lost ground and rescue General Chen Tai, who's fate is still uncertain. Fortress Tian Shui is Jiang Wei's hometown, so the Shu forces stationed there will be extremely difficult to root out. That, and our friends at Chen Cang could either be dead or half-dead when we arrive, so you'll have to prepare yourself in case we will not find additional, albeit tired, troops." Sima Yi reminded them.

Zhong Hui, Qiu Ben, Yuan Shao (2.), Qiu Jian, Shao Ti, Sima Shi, Shi Zuan, Yang Xin, and a roster of officers accompanied Sima Yi in this mission. Tian Shui was a critical city, it yielded countless scores of grain, and had a large population from which to draft from. That, and Chen Tai was a critical Wei general who could not be abandoned. Chen Xin made certain that all these men knew that she was Xuanbo's daughter, not some prostitute picked up from the streets, so if they were to even touch her in any suggestive manner, she'd make sure that they'd regret it.

But Qiu Ben, Shi Zuan, Yuan Shao, and Yang Xin quickly found solace from her wrath when they began to talk with General Deng Ai. Yang Xin was actually among Chen Tai's forces at Tian Shui, and he was one of those who made it back to tell Deng Ai of what had happened to Xuanbo. Shizai had heard of his defense of the region against several Shu raids long before Jiang Wei's final push. After all, he was Governor of Jicheng and the city was merely a stone's throw from Shu.

Deng Ai had heard of Qiu Ben and Yuan Shao as political scholars in the Wei court. They weren't high ranking men, no, but they had a reputation of knowing quite a bit about how the world worked and what one ought to do in order to succeed. Yuan Shao happened to be a fortune teller after researching the I Ching, the Book of Changes for some time and understanding its "divine" properties. Apparently, he was able to predict the deaths of the Xiahou's, and had even warned Xiahou He of the incident, though the latter did not listen to him. Such a feat was quite difficult indeed, especially considering the fact that, other than him, no one suspected that Sima Yi was even threatened by the Xiahou clan beforehand.

Shi Zuan was a local warrior and poacher who visited Shizai's quarters before Sima Yi ordered their troops to march out. He'd hunted in those grounds before, and knew much of the hills and forests of the area. The map he drew of the area, detailing the mountainous forests and several cave hideouts, as well as his favorite hunting spots would be great for countering surprises Jiang Wei and Xiahou Ba might have for them as they approached Tian Shui.

Shizai knew that he needed trusted men to help him in future missions, as the death of Guo Huai meant that Chen Tai would have to take most of his duties, assuming he was still alive, and if that were the case then Deng Ai would have to take Chen Tai's earlier job. With that came the responsibility of fulfilling countless military tasks, and though Guo Huai appeared incompetent, it was said that the defense and maintenance of all Wei territory west of Capital Luoyang was under his jurisdiction. Considering the fact that the Qiang, the army of Shu, and the northwest Wu Huan and Xiongnu nomads had hardly put a dent through Wei's defenses until now, Guo Huai was quite a talented man.

* * *

It wasn't easy trying to uphold the Han Dynasty, no indeed.

Jiang Wei sighed as Xiahou Ba ran into his quarters. "General, countless command posts have been raided at virtually the same time. We've lost Di Dao Fort to the enemy, and because of that the citadel at Jin Cheng remains in enemy hands..." He stammered, trying to keep breathing in his extreme excitement.

"I thought we killed General Guo Huai, their commander." Jiang Wei sighed. They mopped up the resistance at the enemy base at Long Xi, and they counted enemy casualties to be around 20,000. How could the Wei army still have a notable enough force in the area to hold Jin Cheng, let alone retake Di Dao?

"Oh... I must have not informed you about him..."

"What is it?"

"Guo Huai had his second in command, Chen Tai."

"I've heard of him. He's been in the Wei army for quite a while, hasn't he, with a victory ratio of ninety six victories for every one defeat, and he's gone through over five hundred missions, minor and major... Why didn't you inform me of him?"

"It appeared as though the Wei army had been routed after Guo Huai's fall. I did not anticipate that Chen Tai would be such a threat... He's been pelting all of our supply convoys, capturing quite a few of them as well as raiding our camps and causing our troops to have uneasy nights, unable to sleep." Xiahou Ba replied.

"I can't believe you forgot to inform me about him." Jiang Wei shook his head, racking his brains. "We'll need to find some way to spot him before he strikes, as he seems to use the narrow passageways of the mountain range and their mountainous forests to make it tough for us to see him..."

Xiahou Ba decided to ignore Boyue's complains and slip away unnoticed. (3.) As Jiang Wei continued to complain about the headache that was Chen Tai, Sima Yi entered Chen Cang.

"It seems that we weren't attacked during this time, unlike what Chen Tai predicted. Thankfully, the men of Shu seem to be busy restoring order and fortifying Tian Shui. Our scouts have informed us that they're fortifying everything, as though they're always on alert, believing that they are under attack. We have no idea what they think is going on, but this would likely mean that they are low on morale, and, with that, any counterattack we make will make their paranoid selves squirm." Sima Wang greeted the army as it entered.

Ever the man of action, Sima Yi immediately turned to Deng Ai. "Shizai, we will split into two forces. I will engage Jiang Wei directly. You are to take Long Xi and shortly afterwards make a southern strike into Wu Du in order to cut off any reinforcements that might be heading from there. I will crush Jiang Wei in his hometown and force him to flee through Xia Bian, and you will harass him as he runs, and if either of us kills him then Shu will be virtually ours!"

"Very well then, sir. I will do as you ask. But will there be officers who will accompany me?"

"You need to ask? You've been talking with those four, right? I can hardly remember their names. Move out with them if you need their assistance. I'll even let my nephew join you. Hao Zhao will be with me, however, as I need warriors of talent other than you to help besiege Jiang Wei."

"Very well. May heaven be kind to you, sir."

"And you as well, Shizai."

* * *

"Here's the map of the area." Shi Zuan handed Deng Ai a scroll, and as Shizai perused it Chen Xin glanced over his shoulder.

"Wait... Doesn't that marked position look a lot like the one just ahead?" She observed.

"She's right..." Shi Zuan's eyes widened. "You have good eyes, daughter of Chen Tai."

Xin smiled at him while Shizai ordered their troops to halt.

"Alright, men. We'll need to take that fort on the mountain there." He exclaimed, pointing at the hilltop Chen Xin spotted.

"I don't see any fort..." Sima Wang muttered, stepping slightly closer and squinting his eyes to take a better look.

Chen Xin smirked. "Examine it more closely. Does that shade of green really look perfectly natural to you?"

"You've just uttered a paradox. Nature can never be perfect."

Chen Xin shook her head. When these scholars got serious they could be quite annoying. "But that shade of green does not look like a normal forest, now does it?"

Sima Wang squinted. "You're right... Guess they used the wrong paint. How did you recognize it from so far away?"

She laughed. "Compare those mountains to the left of us with the ones on the map, and you'll get it. Now, men, you heard Shizai, get moving!" She ordered. (4.)

"To think we'd stoop low enough to take orders from a _woman_." One of the soldiers mumbled. One glare from Chen Xin, however, scared him into silence.

* * *

As the blue flag waved over their newly captured fort, the two in charge were huddled together as the cold mountain air pounded their bodies. It got to the point where Qiu Ben, who hardly knew the pair, began to worry about their health in this cold weather, but Sima Wang waved him off, letting them have their peace.

"Shizai..." She mumbled, staring out into the night.

"Xin..." He mumbled back, looking at her.

"It's so pathetic, you know? You going off and getting yourself almost killed. I can never know if you're ok unless I go with you. I... I don't even know if I've lost _him_..."

"Xuanbo's alive. He has to be. If he knew how this was going to turn out, well, you know who your father is. Do you think he'd let the men of Shu claim his life when he predicted what they'd do in the first place?"

"But... But anything's possible."

"That's true, but I'm shocked you have so little faith in your father, Xin."

"Shizai..." She suddenly grabbed onto his arm, startling him. After all, Chen Xin was not a clingy person by any means. She'd more likely kick him in the groin then grab onto him and beg him not to leave her.

"Xin..." He put his arm around her, and felt her shivering against him. "Are you ok?"

"I... I might have lost one the dearest men of my life... I couldn't bear losing you too..."

He tightened his hold on her. "I'm not going anywhere, Xin. Not without you. We'll find Xuanbo. General Chen Tai is not the sort of man to get killed so easily."

He felt her punch him in the back with her fist.

"What's wrong with you?" He snarled at her, pulling slightly away from her.

She looked truly upset as she glared at him. "You act as though his death means little to you..."

"What gave you that idea?" He asked, putting his hands on her shoulders. He heard her whimper, which really didn't seem like her at all. "Come, this cold must be getting to your head. Let's go inside."

"Ok..."

* * *

Leaning on one of the couches intended to help the troops rest, Chen Xin tried to recover. She was getting sick of worrying about her father, and the more she saw Shizai in battle armor, discussing plans of how to kill people with his compatriots, the sicker she got. Why did Shizai have to risk his life so many times for such a petty war? In the end, the bastard Sima Yi would be getting the power he wanted, and even Wei's finest warriors couldn't stop him from seizing power for himself.

He came back into the lounge where she rested, and sat on the couch beside her feet. She looked slightly upwards at him, and they stared into each other's eyes for a minute. "Hey." She smiled at him.

He blinked slightly. How could she remain so calm when she'd just had those emotional outbursts just now?

"Shizai... I really don't want to see you get yourself killed."

"Hah, Xuanbo was right about his daughter. You really worry too much, Xin."

"Worry too much? If I hadn't spotted that fort they could have ambushed us!"

"Still, I've always gotten back in one piece, right?"

"But I told you to watch over my dad, and you failed at that..."

"He outranked me, and officers can't say anything when your superior makes an order, it's how the system works."

"Then it's a really crappy system."

"Can't argue with you there..."

The two continued to stare, when Sima Wang finally had to pop his head in and remind them: "If you lovebirds will stop your mating dance, we're about to move out now."

And he immediately suffered a boot to the head, courtesy of Chen Xin, as well as a swift kick to the chest from Deng Ai... (5.)

* * *

By the time Sima Wang regained consciousness, their army had reached the banks of the Wei river. Across the river was Long Xi, the mighty fortress that was stolen from Wei. Commanding the fortress was Ma Dai, and, like Luo Xian, this guy was no pushover.

Deng Ai gulped as he observed the constant shifting of positions in the enemy fort, but with Chen Xin by his side and friends like Sima Wang and Shi Zuan, they did have a chance for victory... But how high was that chance?

* * *

1. If you happen to be of Korean descent, yes, China did attack Korea during the Three Kingdoms. (Wei conquered the Korean state of Koguryo.) But Koguryo and Pakeche, both Korean states, made several raids on Chinese soil, specifically the Liaodong peninsula. There have been plenty of skirmishes between our two nations in days long past, but that does not mean that we should continue using that as an excuse for hating each other. What happened, happened, and we should move on and make peace as two friendly trading nations, right?

2. No, this is not "Yuan Shao," Cao Cao's old friend and bitter rival at Guandu. No, this is a man who predicted that Deng Ai would find trouble against Zhong Hui in the future, and warned him about it, and thus made Shizai quite uneasy. His name is pronounced exactly the same as the more famous "Yuan Shao." Interesting, no?

3. Xiahou Ba's not a complete idiot, but I find him to be lacking in strategy at times. That, and I simply think that he surrendered to Shu to save his own skin, not to save Wei, and because of that I don't have much sympathy for him. I honestly found it a bit comical (in the way of dark humor) when he got tricked at Taoyang and was killed in an ambush similar to the one Cao Cao faced against Lu Bu, where you enter a seemingly deserted city and the gates close, trapping you inside while the enemy pelts you with arrows from the city walls.

4. They're currently marching west, from the fortress of Chen Cang (directly west of Changan and just north of the Yellow River), to Long Xi, the mountain city at the end of the Wei River (the huge tributary that branches off the Yellow River when you head upstream (to the east) and when the main river heads north.) The Wei river is due north of Tian Shui and north of the mountain range (I call it the Qun in this fic), the center of that range being the traditional border of Wei and Shu.

5. Go to Youtube and search for Boot To the Head. It is honestly the funniest thing ever. You will regret not seeing that video, I am dead serious.


	13. Miscalculations Abound

Warning: Due to the intensity of the situation, our heroes will occasionally be using intense profanity. If you do not like profanity, read carefully and skip lines as necessary... You will miss out on the action, though.

Chapter 13: Miscalculations Abound

"Bam!" The ballista round slammed into the water, sending drops several feet into the air.

"That was... That was one of our ships! All units, row as fast as you fucking can. We have to reach the shore, or we'll all die!" Shi Zuan yelled.

Like the flippers of a frantic dolphin, the oars of Wei's sailors flew as they surged towards the riverbank. True, they hardly had the skill or the efficiency of their Wu counterparts, but when one faces death straight in the face, one is not likely to slack off.

The river Wei flowed apathetically, not caring how many sailors would drown in its midst. It could easily rinse the blood away, and its waters would remain a crisp blue during the day and gray at dusk. For it, there were no worries.

But for the men traversing it, they had much to worry about.

The Shu position had several forms of artillery placed on the fortress walls in the hopes of smashing the enemy before they could get close enough to attack. Chen Tai's raids had forced the desertion of almost forty percent of the Shu army stationed in 'liberated' territory. Demoralized, and tired of the war, these fighters of the Han were unwilling to engage their enemy in direct combat, having seen what Wei guerrilla troops could do. Thus, they'd use such cowardly methods as firing artillery at soldiers in the water.

Attacking the enemy as they traverse in the water was a cowards move, everyone knew that. Sun Tzu only advised it in desperate circumstances, and if one had to one should use arrows, where at least some foes could dodge. Using artillery would kill several people at once, as well as the possibility of polluting the water with wood chips and dirt from the river bottom as the round hits. That was why it was considered the discouraged and even cowardly move, but even if it was cowardly, Shu would do whatever it took to drive out these Wei scum.

The ships flew forward, and as they lurched along Chen Xin felt a bit queasy. Suddenly, she felt a heavy hand slam into her back. With a cough, she suddenly felt a bit more light-headed. Turning swiftly, she saw that the person who 'helped' her was Qiu Ben.

The older man smirked a bit. "Sometimes gas gets in your stomach and lungs, and when you move so abruptly it gets quite uncomfortable. Bad Chi like that has to be removed with force. I know that you're a strong girl, you weren't hurt, right?"

"No... But, who are you, anyway, Qiu Ben? I hardly know you at all."

"I am a man of little importance... But I will do what I can to help him succeed in future missions." Qiu Ben nodded sternly.

"Shizai seems to trust you. He wouldn't put faith in people who he doesn't think are benevolent talents. Who are you, really?"

"Let us talk after the battle. Now is not a good time." Qiu Ben nodded, his eyes showing sincerity.

"Very well..." Chen Xin nodded back, noting the shouts and battle roars of their soldiers in the distance.

* * *

"Um, are you sure we're going to charge forward?" Yang Xin smiled embarrassingly at Deng Ai.

Shizai stared back at him with a raised eyebrow. "We've landed, and they haven't sent any soldiers out. Doesn't that seem strange to you?"

"Well, yeah..." He replied as he shifted his head to dodge an arrow. "But why are we going to charge?"

"Knowing Chen Tai... Well... You'll see... Flagbearers, advance the colors! We're moving in!" Deng Ai yelled.

* * *

The Wei flag flew gloriously towards the swarm of arrows, towards the mob of angry Han loyalists knowing that their hard work was about to be destroyed. As that flag moved forward, men began to appear. From behind every bush, from the tall heights of trees, even from underground men showed up. Each man holding a weapon in his hand, with flames in his eyes. These were the guerrilla troops, fighting to liberate their homes from these Shu invaders. Yang Xin's eyes widened: "If there are so many, it must mean that..."

Chen Xin, Yang Xin, and Sima Wang all gasped joyously: "Chen Tai is alive!"

Long Xi was completely surrounded, and, standing on his command post, Ma Dai yelled: "All units, advance! Push them back until our friends from Tian Shui arrive!"

But archery units from every conceivable angle, backed up by Commanders Shi Zuan and Yang Xin, as well as General Deng himself proved more than a match for their army. These three men and the soldiers that stood beside them hacked through the lines of the Shu defenders, but because they split the Shu lines, Shu troops thus appeared all over the battlefield. As Deng Ai twirled his blade, hacking off flesh from any who would challenge him directly, a green-clad swordsman leapt from behind to cut his scalp.

Then a single voice cried out among the roars of battle: "No!" And a streak of blue and white flew towards Shizai's back. The clash of metal rang in his ears, catching him off guard.

Deng Ai turned, and his eyes widened as he saw that dainty hand grasping the handle of a blade.

'Twas a short sword, about seventeen inches in length (43 centimeters). This made it shorter than the average blade (70 centimeters), though some officers did carry blades that were hardly longer than this one. It was notably thicker than most Jians, however, but still resembled that straight-edge form. Of course, unlike Shizai's Dao this blade would have less of a direct impact when used correctly, but it seemed that it was intended as a last line of defense, not as an immediate and often-used weapon, unlike Shizai's blade. (1.)

His mind thought frantically as he watched that elegant arm swing once more, guiding the blade to slice an enemy soldier behind him. "How could she... How did she?!" He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Xin's hands were never stained with blood, but now that purity was quickly being tarnished.

He felt two feet hit his shoulders and leap off of him, and he saw her fly over the horde of Wei troops. "What are you doing?!" He yelled at her, but she ignored him. Swinging his own blade, Deng Ai cut a path through the green-clad bodies to reach her. "Shi Zuan, Yang Xin, we have to save her!" He shouted.

Shi Zuan, however, had some problems. "I'm kinda busy here!" He yelled back, his sword clashing with another warrior's.

"Me too..." Yang Xin chuckled nervously, his spear caught between his body and the blades of two enemy troops.

"Damn it!" Shizai growled as he rushed after the woman he loved.

* * *

"Bastard!" He heard a high-pitched voice shriek as he stood at his post.

"What's going on?" Ma Dai thought as he raised his spear.

At that moment, he heard his guards scream aloud, and the door to Ma Dai's command post was quickly cut down by a jian.

And beyond that door, he saw the eyes of a young woman, burning with the flames of violent passion.

Ma Dai sighed. "It is not right for a warrior to hurt a young woman like you, nor is it right for you to be participating. Are Wei scum this barbaric?"

"Shut up! I am the daughter of General Chen Tai! General Deng Ai, my... My dear friend is risking his life to take this fortress, and I believe that, by cutting you down here, his endeavors can end much sooner." Chen Xin growled at him.

Ma Dai laughed. "I see it in your eyes... You can't trick me, girl. If he feels the same for you, then wouldn't your death break him completely? Not only have you made your own position far more dangerous, you've also made it possible for the Wei advance to be completely jeopardized. Though, as a warrior of Shu, I have great regrets for staining my blade with the blood of a brave flower like yours... I suppose that, in order to restore the Han, it must be done. Thank you, and farewell!" The Shu warrior immediately lifted his spear and began his attack.

The clash of metal resonated throughout the fort. Both Shu and Wei soldiers heard the commotion from within, and what was left of the Shu army's morale was sapped dry.

They could hear her cries of battle from within, and the Wei soldier's faces began to lighten up. "That... That girl... General Deng's pet... She got past the enemy guards and is fighting the enemy commander now. Impressive!" They cheered.

But though his soldiers were happy, Shizai definitely wasn't. "I can't let her be like us... She's..." Raising his blade, he charged past the enemy troops. "Shi Zuan, you're in command! Listen to Sima Wang and Qiu Ben, and don't be reckless!" He yelled as he disappeared into the fort.

"Like you?" Shi Zuan blinked.

* * *

Sweat poured down her forehead as the weight of his blade continued to stain against the metal of her own.

"Bastard... To think a General's daughter would be pinned down by a spear like this..." She thought, her strength slowly drooping. Sooner or later, her muscles would fail her.

"You're pinned, girl. But I must admit that you're far better than several colleagues I had. Hell, if you replaced General Wu Lan we wouldn't have failed to capture Cao Cao and his men at Baocheng for certain... It's funny how your stance was so uneasy. You haven't had your hands stained, have you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Figures... Even if you're Chen Tai's daughter. Little girl, go home. The battlefield is for hardened men, men who've killed many and who no longer hold those ideals."

"That's not true! _He's_..."

"Oh? You're referring to your precious General Deng, eh? Well, I think he merely pays you lip service so that he can eventually have his way with you. The man who's children you currently wish to bear probably isn't worthy of a pure-heart like yours. Not to say that I or any of the other officers in any of the three armies are any better, to tell the truth. Even the strategists strategize to find more efficient ways to rob families of their men. Girls cannot be on the battlefield. They are too precious, too much is at stake if they were to be killed. Your duty is to bear the future, and for that you cannot be slain by this disgusting past."

"My father..."

"Is the same way, only that he raised you to be different. You ought to respect his wishes."

"I... I won't let you hurt him... I can't..."

"Even if you have such devotion, has it ever occurred to you that you should find another, non-military man and settle down in a peaceful house not stained by blood?"

"He's..."

"A killer, like your father, like me, like all the other warriors and strategists you've seen. They're all responsible for the deaths of many, and a pure heart like yours is far too glorious for their unworthy manhoods."

By now the tears rolled down her face. She couldn't think of any way to counter Ma Dai, and his spear continued to bring her closer and closer to the floor.

"But there's a difference!" She yelled aloud, suddenly throwing his spear off of her.

"What?"

"The man I love and the man who sired me have the same vision: to ensure the well-being of the people. They are not mindless fighters who continue to bash skulls just to test the limits of their strength. Isn't that what His Majesty Xuande and Lord Kongming wanted as well, only that Kongming hardly considered so-called traitors 'people?' Isn't that what Lords Gongjin and Dong Cheng wanted as well in days long past? They were sick of seeing the people suffer! I remember a few years back that my father would often slam his fists into the dinner table, cursing the fact that each census showed that at least thousands of people had died the past year. I know who Shizai is... He's far from a petty killer. His hands, like my father's, are stained in blood... And, and now mine are as well, but we have a vision that shall not be thrown aside... You... You sound like you once believed in that same purpose, but you've turned bitter and broken away. Why?" (2.)

Ma Dai smiled. "What a pure soul. It pains me to know that people like you must die to end the reign of traitors... Perhaps not everyone in Wei is evil. Like you, some good people were only misled."

At this moment, another warrior appeared at the doorway.

"Xin!" He yelled.

"Your woman fights well." Ma Dai greeted him. "She's a pure soul, a good heart, one hardly tainted with bloody hands... Unlike you or I, Deng Shizai."

"Xin..." He raised his own sword to face his foe's spear.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine. Her wounds are hardly serious. However, I don't think you will be so fortunate... Thus, her heart might break in a few moments."

"No! That's not..." Chen Xin growled, but Ma Dai waved her off.

"Forgive me, milady, but fate has not been kind to you. You'd better find another to love, quickly. As I said, one who is no warrior... One with pure hands, like the way your soul is pure."

"You're not going anywhere, General Ma Dai!"

"On the contrary, General Deng Ai, you aren't going anywhere. In the name of the Han Dynasty, and in order to help a pure soul find a worthy mate, I shall slay you today, Deng Ai of Ru Nan!"

* * *

Tears flowed freely from his eyes as the blue flag waved over the city.

Jiang Wei had fought for everything, for the dream of liberating the town of his birth from Wei hands... And he had failed.

Why didn't he realize that Chen Tai would be so effective at breaking their morale? The Shu troops were not used to having their camps raided at night... They had hardly engaged guerrilla tactics on such a scale. It seemed that these traitors were adamant in their refusal to be liberated.

Then Sima Yi came with a vengeance. Jiang Boyue wondered if Gongsun Yuan faced that same unbeatable wrath, that wave of men and metal that would crash through any defense and continue to push forward.

He raised his spear. No matter what, his men would make it safely, back... No, he could not call it _home_. His home was here, the city of Tian Shui, and once again he would be forced to leave home and take shelter in the refuge known as Hanzhong.

"Why must fate be so cruel?!" He cried aloud, startling Li Yan and Wei Yan.

"Stop... Complaining... Pansy!" Wei Yan's eyes narrowed. Before Li Yan could scold him, Wei Yan continued. "Zhao... Yun... Coming... Wang... Ping... Brings... Rations... Must... Secure... Camps... Or... Ma... Dai... Dies..."

"He's right. General Zhao Yun could easily destroy a legion of Wei troops in ten minutes, and Wang Ping is constantly bringing supplies from the south... General Ning Sui is stationed nearby, along with Master Yang Yi, and they could help us. We should not despair!" Li Yan added.

"You... Forget... Comrade... Ma...?" Wei Yan threateningly raised an eyebrow at Li Yan. (3.)

"Of... Of course not..." Li Yan backed away from the angry-looking warrior.

Wei Yan nodded. "Good..."

"But how can we rescue Ma Dai if we've lost our main base?" Jiang Wei asked.

"We... Can't... Yet... Must... Secure... Camp... And... Wait... For... Friends..."

"But I can't just wait here while Wei continues to wreck havoc."

"That's... All... We... Can... Do..."

"But then we'd be cowards!"

"And... Running... When... Luo... Xian... Needed... You... Wasn't?!..." Wei Yan glared back at him.

"I see your point..." Li Yan backed off again.

Jiang Wei sighed as he turned to the south. "Very well. All units, secure this position. We cannot let ourselves be overwhelmed by the enemy. They can keep Tian Shui for now."

* * *

Clang!

Spear and sword wrestled in the air as their masters growled at each other from a few feet away. She sat with her back to the wall, staring at both men with her eyes wide open, paralyzed with fear. Would Shizai finally fall here, when he'd trained with her father for so long?

Deng Ai winced. This guy was tough. Unlike Luo Xian, his hands hardly budged when Deng Ai leaned his weight onto his blade. Ma Dai quickly leapt back, causing Deng Ai to lurch forward. When the younger man immediately corrected himself, Ma Dai laughed: "I don't think you have what it takes to fight in duels like these. You're hardly a skilled or worthy opponent. If that girl is stubborn enough to have your children, maybe she should fight instead of you."

"You underestimate me... Bastard!" Deng Ai growled as he charged forward and, with a horizontal slash, slammed his blade in Ma Dai's chest armor.

Ma Dai groaned as the air was knocked out of him, but he quickly regained his composure. "Well, you hit hard... But it seems that my armor stole your thunder."

"Hah! You should be happy that you haven't been cut in half. But that armor is very impressive... Too bad it's being worn by the wrong person."

"What do you mean?" Ma Dai lifted his spear.

With a smile, Shizai suddenly began to leap to the side, and soon Ma Dai felt his foe's blade slash his left arm. In seconds, he felt his right arm get hacked, and seconds later he felt pain all over his body. Shizai was cutting his foe again and again, and Ma Dai could hardly counter.

"You're a relatively skinny person, yet your armor must weigh a ton if you can hardly move after getting hit by a blow like that... You were equipped with heavy plating, so as long as you weren't hit by a strong blow, you'd be able to beat anyone with sheer weight, which is why Xin could not defeat you. But unlike Xin's, my blade is thick enough to knock the wind out of people, so thus I'm capable of defeating you. Behold! This damn game is over."

Ma Dai could only laugh. "On the contrary, you fool, the game's just begun."

Xin and Shizai's eyes only widened, prompting him to continue.

"Good, it is good that you are not some weakling who I can just skewer on the edge of my spear. I think that would be insulting Luo Xian far too much. You're smart. You come up with tactics on the battlefield itself, and know how to take advantage of your opponent's weaknesses... It's no wonder that you took down an idiot like Zhuge Ke. Had you died by my spear without having found out my weakness, well, then the fact that Zhuge Ke lost to you would be an insult to his talents."

"So you claim that I am no better than an idiot. Hmn, arrogant words."

"They sound arrogant, don't they? But unfortunately I speak the truth."

"Well, you're too slow. I can strike you many times and you will eventually fall..."

With that, Deng Ai leapt forward once more, but Ma Dai swung his spear and struck Shizai on the side, sending him crashing against the wall.

"On the same token, you are too fast. You lack strong armor. I could whack you once for every five times you hit me, and eventually you will fall before me. I suppose this means that the fight will last until I kill you while you still believe that you are winning... Hah, how I love interesting battles!" Ma Dai laughed.

Smiling, Deng Ai got up and stepped towards his opponent. "Interesting indeed... So, basically, if I do not get hit and I remain persistent in my attacks, you will fall, right? Well, in the token of arenas across the land: Bring It On!"

Shizai hacked away at Ma Dai's right arm, and in response red liquid flowed down the Shu warrior's body, staining the ground below him with a terrifying crimson oval. At the same time, Ma Dai was able to slash Deng Ai's left leg, but even with both legs wounded Shizai could still outmaneuver his opponent. Even if he had to limp afterwards, the man who forced Chen Xin to sacrifice the purity of her hands would be forced to pay!

Swinging his blade, Shizai brought it down on Ma Dai's helmet, and split it in twain. With a quick upward thrust, Ma Dai struck Deng Ai on the chest, and as blood flew from his wound Shizai flew in the opposite direction and crashed into the wall headfirst... As he collapsed on the ground Ma Dai chuckled. "It's futile... We'll just exchange blows, and I'll still defeat you. All I have to do is guard my head with my spear."

Deng Ai laughed aloud. "I don't know why, but this has been rather entertaining..."

Ma Dai smiled. "Good to hear. At least you will not die a depressed warrior. That, at least, makes me feel better. Now come forward!"

"Definitely!" Shizai sprang towards his opponent with his sword at the ready.

* * *

"Why are there so many of 'em?!" Yang Xin gasped as he whacked another Shu soldier on the head, knocking him out cold. "Now it looks like killing them will take too much time. We should just knock them unconscious. It's easier." He yelled to Shi Zuan.

"Guess you're right." The other warrior nodded, whacking his own fair share of enemy soldiers.

"Say, you think Shizai's in trouble? Neither of them have shown up..." Yang Xin yelled as he knocked another three soldiers down.

"He might be... But there are too many of 'em to check..."

"Then I guess we'll have to up our speed a bit. Hyaaah!" Yang Xin twirled his spear and knocked the skulls of another pair of foes.

* * *

"Sir, the city has finally been secured. The Shu army has gathered itself on the hills to our south. Shall we pursue?"

"Not yet... I must learn if Deng Ai succeeded in his end of the bargain." Sima Yi stroked his short beard.

"But sir... Enemy reinforcements might arrive, thus forcing us to increase our efforts tenfold."

"I don't care. The only way I can ensure that Wei can defeat Shu in the event of my death is if my successors are competent. If they are fools who can't even recapture a simple city, then Wei is as good as dead. You men have to realize this truth: Competence is key in these times. The Three Kingdoms are well established, and now it is up to the skill and strength of each of these nation's officers. If her officers are weak, then that kingdom shall crumble."

"But, but..."

"Keep that worthless mouth shut, you scout, and continue observing the enemy."

* * *

As Shi Zuan and Yang Xin, along with their small groups of troops, finally succeeded in taking down the bulk of the Shu defenders of Long Xi. But as they entered the establishment, they found both commanders still engaged in a duel.

"It's impressive that, even with your light armor and the fact that I've hit you quite a few times, you're still resilient enough to continue your assault. I don't know whether to call you an extremely annoying cockroach or to deem you worthy prey. After all, they're both rather similar."

"General Ma Dai, this battle is getting pointless. The fact that it's drawn out for so long and that we're both still ready to fight for a few more hours proves that we're both skilled warriors. Look at your men, they've been routed. My subordinates are in the doorway right now, watching this battle. It would be a fool's errand to continue fighting."

"That may be so, but as a warrior of Shu I cannot simply stand back and let you continue disgracing my forces. We came here to liberate this land from your grasp, and even though you've proven to be extremely powerful, we shall still stand strong until we are finally annihilated. As long as I draw breath, I shall battle you."

"Hah, I doubt you're that foolish!"

"What?"

"Ma Dai, you may look young, but you're in your forties by now, am I right? I know all about you. You fought bravely, honorably, and wisely beside your cousin Ma Chao for so many years, guiding him through the worst of times until you finally found shelter under Lord Liu Bei. You're a lot smarter than this! You were among the most able of tacticians in Ma Teng's service, and yet today you do what you can to waste your productive life. One could say that your death was too far out of character."

"Hah! So you do know who I am... Well, even if dying here would be an extremely idiotic move on my part, I can still rest easy, for I've been able to take down one of the greatest threats to the restoration of the Han!"

"You know, sometimes I wonder why men like you work so hard for 'rescuing the Han.' An Empire's duty is to ensure that the populace lives happily, and that the standard of living all over the Empire has improved. This happened in years long ago under the Han dynasty, and for that we still praise those late Emperors, but the recent Imperial government under the Han was corrupt and incompetent, and it looks like the Shu Imperial Court is no better. Why, then, do you insist on making more people suffer under an incompetent Han government? Why not allow the people to prosper under Wei?"

"If you went by that logic, Wei is also a horrible system. Thousands of people in Wei die every month. If we went by that logic Emperor Sun Xiu should be the new Emperor of China. The nation of Wu should reign supreme as Shu and Wei surrenders. After all, the people of Wu are growing richer day by day, and their standard of living has risen much higher than the other nations. Unfortunately, if this war was truly for the people, Wu would be victorious, but this war was not fought for the people. It is fought for the Emperors of Shu and Wei. As a Shu officer, and due to the fact that I've fought under Shu for so long and that my family will continue to fight under Shu, I will continue to stand by my side. You, too, should do the same, Deng Shizai. I'm sure you have people, like that girl, whom you are unwilling to part from... Your hands might be bloody, but it seems that you do have a strong sense of honor."

"As do you, General Ma Dai. I am still in awe of your sense of loyalty."

"Pah, but as you've pointed out, what good does that do for the people?"

"Well, as long as you or I remain alive, we can ensure that those on our respective sides will see this truth... Who knows, maybe the violence here will finally end once there are enough of those who have seen reason."

"You're... You're right..." Ma Dai lowered his spear. "I concede... In the war of strength, we are equals, but in the war of words and principles, you are victorious. I have been defeated."

Deng Ai nodded. "All units, let him go free... General Ma Dai, I hope that you can retain that vision, for even if it fails, it will amount to something in our final hours."

"Very well, farewell Deng Shizai."

"Farewell..."

* * *

As the warriors of Wei gathered whatever rations they could find from Long Xi and marched forward, they heard the rumbling of wheels. "Artillery?" Shi Zuan gasped. As a hunter, his ears were more fine-tuned than the others.

"All units, prepare yourselves... We might be..." Deng Ai yelled at his men.

"Getting reinforcements." A voice answered him.

"Father!" Chen Xin gasped.

"Commander!" Yang Xin and Sima Wang yelped.

Chen Tai stepped before his artillery units, with his trademark smile. "Shizai, so I see you've taken Long Xi. Congratulations. My ambushing units seemed to have helped you in the task as well."

"Well, I nearly got killed by General Ma Dai of the Shu army. We proved equal in combat skill, but had I made one false move he would have skewered me."

Chen Tai nodded. "It happens, I suppose. We should hurry to Tian Shui. I've brought all my veterans from Jin Cheng, and thus we have limited forces. I'm sure Zhongda's in an even worser position, as the bulk of Jiang Wei's army is upon him. Quickly, now!" As he ran ahead, the other officers did what they could to catch up.

* * *

Sima Yi soon found his foes to be quite well fortified on the mountain. That is, until Chen Tai and Deng Ai arrived. "So you saved Xuanbo..." Sima Yi greeted Shizai with a smile.

"Now, we can use my artillery units to smash the enemy lines and force them to flee."

"Let's do just that!" Zhongda laughed as the catapults began to fire.

* * *

Having been rooted out of their last encampment, the men of Shu began to flee through the mountains. Wei forward scouts and strike troops led by Shi Zuan, Shao Ti, and Qiu Jian were sent to harass them while the other strategists would make an official plan for wiping them out. Shao Ti, having been one of Sima Zhao's childhood friends and having gotten the highest marks for trap-setup and ambushing tactics in his class, was entrusted with the task of guiding the strengths of Shi Zuan and Qiu Jian into effective killing blows.

Chen Tai was the first to speak. "Jiang Wei sent Xiahou Ba back to Shu to inform the court of what is going on. That means that he's grown comfortable here. Thus, our ambushing team might not be as effective as we'd hope. They'll surely deal some decent damage, but will not be able to wipe him out on their own. Therefore, our best bet would be to use knowledge only natives of the area would be aware of. For example, knowing any hidden mountain paths or spots where few outsiders have crossed. If we use this knowledge to our advantage, we can catch Jiang Wei off guard and, with already pathetic morale, the Shu army will literally fall apart, and we might be able to capture him."

"Speaking of hidden paths..." Chen Xin stood from her seat on the table, and pressed Shi Zuan's old map flat on it. "If you see here, Shi Zuan left Shizai a map of the area depicting various hunting spots which could be used for ambushes. That, and quite a few passageways in the mountain, passageways that we could use to cut off the Shu forces from their reinforcements while the bulk of our army engages them from the north."

Zhong Hui and Sima Yi both raised their eyebrows in unison. They wanted to know what Deng Ai's woman was capable of.

"So, which path do you recommend, girl?" Sima Yi stroked his beard.

"Here... Entitled 'Gate of Tenacity.' It's quite a ways south of our position, but if we traverse through it and reach the western end, we will likely be able to counter Jiang Wei, as he has to maneuver through thick debris and forest vegetation while we'll only have to go through a narrow passageway."

At that piece of advice, Sima Yi laughed. "You stupid girl. You should stop being a strategist and start being Deng Ai's pleasure whore. Aren't you aware that a narrow passageway such as that would be extremely risky? Yes, our troops would catch them off guard, but three men emerging from a passageway will quickly get cut down by a thousand. You will have too few soldiers emerging from the pass in time to be an attack. Rather, it would be suicide. Get out of this war room, you stupid, pathetic excuse for a woman!"

Deng Ai shot up, almost throwing his seat aside in anger. Chen Tai, however, stood as well and calmly put his hand on the younger man's shoulder. With a cold, calm glare, similar to what Li Hua gave Deng Ai a week ago, he asked Sima Yi: "Very well, commander, we understand. What do you suggest?"

"Well, since Shi Zuan and the others are already harassing their troops, we should use calvary to charge after them and strike! Jiang Wei will be exhausted and thus we shall emerge victorious. That pathetic daughter of yours should just remain a woman, waiting at home for her man." Sima Yi chuckled and Zhong Hui laughed along with him.

Deng Ai glared at Chen Tai. 'You were my father, and yet you are such a coward.' He thought, but he took one look at Chen Tai's calm, stern stare and decided to keep quiet for now.

Shizai took a glance at Xin, but found her staring straight at the man who just insulted her with firm conviction. She wasn't hurt at all, just angry.

Shizai sat down and put his hand on her shoulder, and she nodded slightly, her fierce eyes never breaking from Sima Yi's.

"Well, it looks like we're a bit broken up on this issue. Say, since you're a ship of fools, you guys head back to the capital and inform the Emperor about what's going on while we march ahead and take out Jiang Wei?" Zhong Hui spoke to Deng Ai and Chen Tai, his face showing pure joy at the hilarious situation before him.

Chen Tai and Deng Ai knew what he meant. Since anyone with half a brain in Wei knew that the Emperor was merely Sima Yi's puppet, to return to the capital would be a sign that they were unwanted, useless commanders who had failed in their duties to Wei. This, of course, was an extreme insult, and Zhong Hui knew it.

Sima Yi thought that he should intervene, but he wanted to see how Chen Tai and Deng Ai would react first.

Chen Tai laughed. "That would be a stupid move. Jiang Wei has so far succeeded in stalling us for so long. You personally have little battle experience, Zhong Hui. If anything, you should let Deng Ai take your place..."

At the accusation that he lacked experience, Zhong Hui perked up and growled. Shizai could literally see his tail feathers shoot up. "Feathers ruffled yet, peacock?" He blurted out.

Zhong Hui glared at his rival with the most intense look of scorn possible. "Fine... Do what you wish to help us, but rest assured that I'll be the one who kills Jiang Wei!"

"Fair enough. Let's see if your words have any merit." It was Deng Ai's turn to laugh.

* * *

The bulk of the Wei army, led by Sima Yi and Zhong Hui, moved after Jiang Wei's retreating force. Meanwhile, Chen Tai, Deng Ai, and Chen Xin found themselves in front of the 'Gate of Tenacity.'

"Alright, Xin, the only way for this to work is for us to rush through the passageway, with the soldiers in front being our top veterans. In the event that we pop out with Jiang Wei on the other end, we'll have to have them last long enough for the rest of our army to emerge. You got it?" Deng Ai turned to her.

She nodded, as did Chen Tai. "Very well... There are many extreme risks to this strategy, but if we pull it off ideally, Jiang Wei will think that we can emerge through mountains with no problem, and we'll destroy the Shu forces in this region for certain." Chen Tai reminded them. Together, Deng Ai, Chen Tai, Chen Xin, Yang Xin, Sima Wang, Qiu Ben, and the rest of their forces rushed through the pass. Jiang Wei was in for one massive attack!

* * *

Kongming's student soon found his teacher's rival after him, along with some youngster named Zhong Hui. Laughing, he raised his sword and pointed it at the pair. "The men of Shu will not be wiped out by traitors, especially considering the fact that your army consists of a bunch of calvary units, and calvary units have great difficulty moving through vegetation. Behold! Today you die. All archers, set your arrows aflame! Make them burn!"

The fire arrows burned the trees and grasses around them, causing Sima Yi and Zhong Hui to be caught in a vast inferno. Turning to each other, the two men immediately took their survivors and fled, letting their prey return home. (4.)

When Jiang Wei turned and headed back for home, the small unit under Wang Ping and Ning Sui rushed to join him. Zhao Yun was called back by Emperor Liu Chan, for fear that Wu might suddenly betray Shu. At least, that's what Huang Hao told him.

With Ma Dai suddenly appearing, weary and disheartened, the Shu army continued on. Jiang Wei was happy that the only officer they lost was Luo Xian, while Wei lost Guo Huai. But Shu troop casualties were far more than Wei, and for that the people would resent him.

Of course, they didn't go very far when they saw another set of blue flags, and Chen Tai appeared before a young man and a woman. Chen Xuanbo raised his spear, while the younger man and woman both raised a pair of swords, though one was a Dao and the other a much thinner Jian.

"General Chen Tai, do you insist on blocking the warriors of Han?"

"Yes, we must make certain that you invaders will never return to Wei's soil."

"In that case, I regret to inform you that your ideal will never come true. Everyone, attack!" Jiang Wei, Wei Yan, and the rest of their army rushed forward...

But the men of Shu were afraid. If Chen Tai could pop up in their south, then how could they ever succeed in future battles? The men of Wei seemed able to shift through any terrain in the hope of protecting their land, and invaders seemed to wish for suicide.

So the men of Shu and Wei fought a last time. It took hours, and men fell like flies before each other's blades. Finally, as the Wei army began to tire, Wei Yan and Ning Sui cut a path through Chen Tai's unit, and the men of Shu ran through that path... Only 50 soldiers, as well as Jiang Wei and all his officers escaped. At least 45 thousand Shu soldiers died on this expedition, and even then Jiang Wei wasn't sure if Shu casualties were that low.

The men of Wei lost about thirty thousand troops. As Chen Tai drooped his head and left the border to return home to Changan, Shi Zuan, Shao Ti, and Qiu Jian appeared, having been routed by Jiang Wei and forced into hiding. Together, their army returned to the Eastern Capital.

Shortly afterwards, Sima Yi sent Shao Ti to Shu to request a cease-fire. For fifteen years, there would be cease fire between Shu and Wei as they slowly began to rebuild. Wu, having not participated in any battles, was also asked to adhere to the agreement, and it did, for Sun Xiu was unwilling to have any of his people die in any pointless skirmishes.

With these settled, Sima Yi made this announcement:

"_Guo Huai was one of Wei's bravest Generals. As Commander of the Western Legion, he ensured that Western Wei would not fall to enemy hands... Until the final battle that led to his death. Now that Wei is victorious once again, we can give him the honor he deserves. Guo Huai will hereby be known as the General who Conquers the West... However, since he is not here to use the powers granted by that title, the honor of current General Who Conquers the West shall go to General Chen Tai. Deng Ai, Chen Tai's subordinate, shall be given the title Commander of the Western Legion. I hope that both of you will use continue to use those powers for the good of Wei."_

Chen Tai and Deng Ai bowed, accepting the Imperial Seals that represented their respective ranks. Deng Ai was quite shocked. Now he held the title that Guo Huai once had, though Xuanbo still outranked him. This honor was quite extreme indeed.

And, of course, Zhong Hui continued to complain, so, to placate him, Sima Yi gave him the rank of "Commander of the Western Legion." Thus, he made Deng Ai and Zhong Hui equal in rank, and Zhong Hui immediately stopped complaining, though Deng Ai was certain now that Sima Yi was supporting Zhong Hui behind his back.

However, now that they were in peacetime, Shizai decided that it was time to run some special errands.

He wanted to take Chen Xin with him, but before that both he and Chen Tai wanted to know how Xin knew how to use a sword.

Thus, Chen Xin was forced to tell her father the truth:

"_For many years, I saw you walk away from our family, saying that you had to go to war again... I saw how mother had to take you abandoning her without any complaints. After all, you were doing it for the good of Wei._

_I got sick and tired of it. I couldn't stand the fact that you were risking your life for some crappy system, and I'd often cry in the night, worrying about the fact that you could get killed! That you would be defeated in battle and that mother and I would get nothing but a condolence letter and some coins. No, I couldn't let that continue to happen! Besides, as you were a general and due to the fact that we were rich, thanks to grandfather, many jealous bastards and bandits would attack us. Thus, in order to join the army and stop you, as well as protect our family, I slipped out to the outside world, and met an old swordsmaster, whom I paid to teach me how to use the blade._

_He taught me everything I later used against Ma Dai... But it seems that true battle experience, even if you lack training, is far more useful than learning the motions. Because of this, well, here I am: having learned all the techniques from that old man, but not having the experience needed for battle. No matter what, I won't let you two go alone... I'm going with you!"_

After hearing this, Chen Tai smiled. "Well, now I'm sure I won't have to worry about your future anymore, especially with Shizai by your side. Very well, then, Xin. Go on with him... I'm sure there are some major things he has to do with you in order for, well..."

"For what?" Both asked him.

"Nothing..." Chen Tai shook his head. "Forget about it." But in his heart Chen Tai thought of his potential (or, by now definite) son in law, and how his mother would react to seeing that her son finally found a girl. The old man smiled to himself as he thought of their wedding day. Oh, how happy would he be! (5.)

* * *

1. A "Jian" is a Chinese straight and double-edged sword. On average these blades were much thinner than their counterparts from other nations. There are, of course, many thick Jian used for combat, but thin Jian would allow for much greater speed, and though they aren't nearly as thin as rapiers, they could still hook under armor plates and cut the flesh within.

A "Dao" is a Chinese saber. Deng Ai uses this sort of weapon... If I haven't mentioned it already. It was mostly used for calvary troops and for anti-calvary purposes, as it can chop much more efficiently than a Jian. However, considering that it tends to weigh more than a Jian and tends to be much thicker, well, I'm no swordsman but I think it would be slower while one would be swinging it, as you'd have much more air resistance.

2. His Majesty Xuande is Emperor Liu Bei. Though Chen Xin is a Wei citizen, and the daughter of a major Wei general, she still must show respect to royalty, like anyone else.

Lord Kongming is Zhuge Liang... You probably know that by now since I've used it so often.

Lord Gongjin is Zhou Yu. THE HISTORICAL Zhou Yu, not the fictional bullshit Luo Guanzhong and Koei use to destroy the reputation of that great hero.

Lord Dong Cheng held the rank of General of Chariots and Calvary. He was one of the great Han loyalists who worked with Liu Bei to try to assassinate Cao Cao. They even convinced Ma Teng, Ma Dai's uncle and Ma Chao's father, to help them.

3. That's right! Wei Yan's no worthless traitor. Scary? Definitely. In need of therapy? Of course. Evil and a heartless traitor who would do anything for power? Definitely not. Wei Yan was framed by that bastard Yang Yi, who is a petty man obsessed with rank, making him no different than Zhong Hui.

4. This was intended to be the "Battle of the Ox Head Hills," where Jiang Wei was beaten by Sima Yi. (Or Zhao, depending on some sources.) However, I hate Sima Yi and Zhong Hui and their like-minded gang, so I did not give them that honor. BTW, Shi Zuan, Shao Ti, and their group aren't dead...

5. Just to let you know, Qiu Ben will be given more development next chapter as well.

* * *

Author's note/rant: I really do not have a concrete image of Chen Xin in mind... Or it's difficult to describe my image of her. However, if you go to kongming dot net and check the ROTK XI created female portraits, created female number 59 is the closest to what I envision her to look like.

Furthermore, they gave Deng Ai one less INT point than Jiang Wei. WTF?! Deng Ai defeated Jiang Wei in 7 out of 9 battles, and they give him a lower INT score. Imbeciles...

Heck, even Chen Tai fought Jiang Wei twice and beat him both times, and he gets a much lower INT score. Are these people drugged or something?

And, lastly, they gave Zhong Hui a higher INT than Deng Ai AND Jiang Wei. That's it, these people are drugged!

Whatever happened to the RTK9 stats?


	14. Taking a Greater Path

So I took a few Mary-Sue tests for Chen Xin to make sure that she hadn't gone to the dark side, and wadda ya know, she failed one test and passed three others... Hmn... What do you guys think? Does she seem a bit too good to be true?

* * *

Chapter 14: Taking a Greater Path

The War was over, for now.

And because of this lengthy intermission, Shizai decided to do something else for his life for a change.

The carriage finally stopped at the gates of An Feng. He slowly got off the carriage, and took her by the hand.

"Why the heck are we here?" Chen Xin asked, quite confused.

"There's something I have to take care of, and I'd like you to tag along..."

"Sure..."

* * *

The old man leaned on his favorite chair, perched on the roof of their home. He felt the sun's rays caress his weary arms. Before, calling him an old man was merely a joke between him and his eldest son, but now that Shizai wasn't around, Chen Tai could finally be honest with himself. He began to feel his joints strain, and began to feel back pains every now and then. Yes, he truly was getting old.

Her long black hair flowed down the sides of her shoulders as she watched him from the basement opening. Her face looked far from young, but her elegance still glowed as she smiled at her husband's relaxed form.

She bore him two children. The elder became quite an accomplished girl, considering how patriarchal this society was. The younger had passed his examinations and was about to become a minister in the local court. Considering that for many years Changan was the capital of China, Chen Wen was about to be granted quite a high office.

And because she'd been with him for so many decades, she knew her husband better than anyone. Chen Tai was growing fearful of his own swift aging. Indeed, to be fifty years old when the people you typically associate with are less than half your age is not very relaxing indeed... He wasn't young anymore, far from it.

He couldn't afford to hang around in bars like Guo Huai used to do... Now that Shizai had found two new friends of sorts: Shi Zuan and Yang Xin, and that both men enjoyed to hang out in a bar and drink to their hearts content, Chen Tai's age began to really hit home.

But now that the truce was in effect, it seemed that there would be hardly any reason for him to raise his spear nowadays. Domestic violence and crime were not tasks to be given to warriors and generals, no, they were tasks for guards and policing forces. The military would serve as a policing force in occupied territory only in times of war. There was no excuse for a general to be making certain if people were obeying the law (as long as they weren't doing anything extreme, such as killing people), if there was a policing force already in the area. Thus, it was time to rest.

"Xuanbo... It's getting a bit warm outside, isn't it? Would you like something cold? A cup of water, perhaps?" Li Hua asked, her wrinkled face turned into a smile as she beamed at him.

"Well, I suppose you're feeling lonely cooped up in the house, isn't it? Very well, let's go inside." Chen Tai smiled as they entered.

Li Hua and Chen Tai sat face to face at the dining table, and Chen Tai was the first to speak. "I must have worried you back at Tian Shui, didn't I...? Shizai told me that your first meeting was not pleasant... Because of me, right?"

Li Hua smiled. "That doesn't matter. You're hear now, and safe, with me. Such things shouldn't bring clouds to our day, right? Just enjoy the moment we're sharing now... For, for I..."

"For you what? What's wrong?" Xuanbo began to look worried.

"It's nothing..." She smiled. "I'm too old to afford the sorrow of worrying about you... Besides, you won't be donning your armor again when this fifteen year period is over, right? So I'll never be separated from you!" She laughed slightly, giving him a crushing hug.

"Darling..." Chen Tai's eyes were wide open. How long had she been holding in such bitter emotions? Was it right for him to keep this title of 'General Who Conquers the West?' What would happen to them both?... Was it selfish of him to continue serving the army?

* * *

With Xin by his side, Shizai prowled the streets. He seemed stubborn, as though he was frantically looking for something even if he didn't really know where it was. Chen Xin sighed, maybe the saying was right: men never ask for directions... "Shizai!" She spoke up, startling him a bit.

"Xin?"

"You're looking for someone, right?"

"How did you...?"

"Why don't you ask for the address instead of wasting time wandering around?"

"Fine..."

After talking to a few local patrol officers, Deng Ai found the information he was looking for.

He arrived at the house. Walking forward, he went to knock on the door.

Chen Xin noted his actions and expression. "Are you always this awkward when you meet new people at their homes, Shizai?"

"Quiet, you." He chuckled embarrassingly.

Chen Xin scoffed. "You're getting embarrassed, wimp."

"Hey, shut it!"

She gave him a punch to the arm. "Stand up straight and confident. You're more brave than that!" She hissed.

Then the door creaked open.

"Is lord Cao Bang at home?" He asked the woman in front of him.

"Cao Bang?" Xin mouthed the name, clearly confused.

* * *

Shizai was shocked to hear that he passed away. The man who helped him when he needed it most was gone. And now that man's widow and orphaned son stood before him, the pair trying to live off of whatever scraps that were left of Cao Bang's fortune, or lack thereof. Being a minor official hardly paid much, and now his family had to feel that pinch. (1.)

He couldn't let it stay like this. "Your husband helped me when I needed it most. Had it not been for him, I would be lost in this town. I wouldn't have had the chance to head back to Sima Yi's office, and I wouldn't have had the chance to help so many people, or meet my true teacher and 'father,' or fall in love with _her_. I would have had none of that... So I have to help you somehow."

The widow smiled. "To hear that he will be cherished by another family, that a simple favor he did for another helped that person's life is enough for me... My husband won't be forgotten, and thus he can rest in peace..."

"But I cannot be selfish and let you suffer. I will do something."

"Lord Deng Ai, that is not necessary..."

"Of course it's necessary." Chen Xin suddenly spoke.

Both her lover and the widow stared at the girl.

"It is said that 'you reap what you sow.' Your husband took the time to help a stranger, to help a young man who was completely lost and who truly needed it. He showed this boy a sense of compassion that he felt he lacked, and because of that this boy spread that compassion to others. Your husband reaped the seed of kindness, and thus it's fitting that you take some of that harvest for yourself as well." Chen Xin spoke seriously now, not caring if her words sounded corny or no, not caring about any of that. These had to be said, and if Shizai was too shy, she'd be the one to do it.

"I see..." Cao Bang's widow blinked.

"Here... Let me help you. Your boy, has he passed his exams?" Shizai asked, turning to the boy, who was rather short for a fifteen year old.

"Yes, he did... He got something in the mid eighties."

"That's actually not bad at all. With such high marks, I can definitely ensure that your son can get a job."

"Wait a second... How can you be so sure?" The widow asked, confused.

Shizai smiled. "Do you know who you're even talking to?"

The widow rubbed her chin. "Wait... Deng Shizai... You couldn't be!"

"That's right, you have the Commander of the Western Legion in your debt! Surely you have nothing to worry about!" Chen Xin smiled.

Cao Bang's widow smiled. "If you can help my son, then it is I who will be indebted to you."

But Shizai waved his hand. "Think nothing of it. Your husband helped me once, and now it is my turn to help you. After that there are no debts between us friends."

"Friends?" Cao Bang's widow seemed confused. "I hardly know you."

"In times like these, those who have helped each other can be considered friends." Shizai sighed as he began to think of what job he could offer her son.

* * *

And so Cao Sheng, Cao Bang's son, became a clerk for the new Magistrate of the town. And, thus, Shizai took his leave of that small place. Together, Deng Shizai and Chen Xin left that town...

_To Ru Nan, where our story began..._

Wine bottles littered the floor as the couple entered.

"Mother..." Shizai spoke, trying to talk to her.

A dark shape shifted restlessly in the house.

"Mom?"

"Son..." She muttered, approaching him.

"What the hell happened here?"

"You don't understand, how it's like... Ever since Shizai claimed victory at Shou Chun, people here have been treating me strangely... They laugh at the fact that I'm the mother of the Commander of the Western Legion. 'How can a drunkard like her be the mother of a hero?' They ask, and I hate it!"

Chen Xin stepped forward. "Ma'am..."

"Hmn?" Deng Ai's mother seemed confused. "Who is this woman?"

"I... Well, you may think of me as your daughter..." Chen Xin blushed slightly, looking away.

"You... You found yourself a lover?" Shizai's mother stared strangely at him.

Xin and Shizai found it difficult to look her in the eye. "Well, yes..." He replied.

"What do you mean, 'well, yes?!' Am I that embarrassing to you?!" She raised her fist threateningly.

"Of course not, Xin!" Shizai tried to calm her down.

"Quite a lively potential daughter for me, hmn?" The older woman smirked.

"Well, she speaks her mind far too readily, and she tends to have a fiery temper and a violent personality, but there is no other girl out there with the same sense of passion, loyalty, honesty, genius, or goodwill... I'll bet all my belongings on it..." Shizai smiled.

"I'm glad you finally found your soulmate." His mother smiled back.

Xin was too embarrassed to say anything, but Shizai smiled. "Me too..."

* * *

A year went by... After spending some time with her future mother-in-law, Xin went back to the Chen household.

Chen Wen passed his exams with the highest marks possible. It was certain that he'd get a job among the Wei royal court! Probably as a clerk, like how Zhong Hui started. But, knowing how Chen Wen was, as long as he didn't mess around, he'd be a lot quicker than Zhong Hui in his rise to greatness.

Shizai would often go from his residence in Ru Nan (as he bought his own home to live in the city, with his own money, thus letting his mother live alone as well) to Changan to see Xin and Xuanbo. With Sima Wang busy in capital Luoyang, Qiu Ben having gone to heaven knows where, and with Shi Zuan and Yang Xin spending time trying the beers from all the different breweries in Wei, Shizai only had time for her.

And then one day, Chen Tai decided to speak to Deng Ai personally.

"She's of marriageable age, you know."

"Shouldn't you not rush your daughter?"

"Well, throughout the land people have been questioning why Chen Xin hasn't married yet... Someone of my standing should have had his daughter married off a while ago, for any man would be willing to marry Xin, for the money, of course. But you're the only one she loves, and you love her... You're the only man I trust with my daughter, and, in order to spare the Chen clan's reputation, I have to have her get married... It's what you want as well, isn't it?"

"But what about her?"

"She... She didn't object when I talked to her about this, and I trust you, Shizai. Besides, if you put it off, countless women will start to pursue you with the intention of taking your money and title. After all, being the wife of the Commander of the Western Legion is a great honor that no young woman would refuse or give up. But Xin could care less if you were even a simple Private, and you'd care less if Xin came from a peasant family. You love each other, and in these times love is truly a rare thing... That is why... That is why I want you two to get married. All our problems will be solved, and the two of you will truly be united as one."

"But... Father... Xin never talked to me about something like this."

"Would you have brought it up if you had the chance?"

"No..."

"Then what makes you think she will?"

"What?"

"She doesn't want you to think of her as a whore or a lecher or anything... So she wanted you to choose. You just didn't feel ready, but now it's too late to hold back. It's now or never, Shizai."

"But..."

"This is the way of the times, and sometimes you must abide by them."

"Father..."

Chen Tai smiled. "Well, I'm sure you know this already, but, you have my eternal blessings... And I have only one condition."

"Yes?"

"I want grandchildren."

Shizai turned bright red. "Wha-? I..."

Chen Tai burst out laughing. "Xin had the exact same expression... But neither of you reject the idea. It's just too soon, right? I understand... Take your time with her... But now we'd better plan the ceremony."

"Yeah..."

* * *

Their big day came.

Yang Xin sighed. "Why is it that we can't have decent beer here?!"

Shi Zuan glared at him. "Keep it down, dumbass! You know Shizai and Xin don't drink!"

"Who ya' callin' a dumbass?!"

"You're being an idiot!"

Both men raised their fists, about to punch each other when Ma Dai showed up.

"Are the warriors of Wei this violent, even when a friend of theirs is about to be married?" He asked.

"Why are you here?!" Yang Xin gasped.

"Deng Shizai thought it would be a good idea for warriors of other nations to show up, apparently. That way we're able to celebrate this peacetime a lot better."

"I see..." A third voice mumbled in the distance.

"Sima Wang?! Is everyone just popping their heads in here?!" Yang Xin gasped aloud.

* * *

Chen Xin stood tall, her mother, her mother-in-law, and several old friends of hers gathered about. They chatted and laughed about old times, about recent rumors, but in the end Xin knew that none of her friends, not even her Maid of Honor, knew who her husband really was. Donning her veil, she let out a deep breath. It was known that some women would slip under a bridal veil and sabotage a wedding by posing as the bride, and she hoped that Shizai wouldn't be nervous or paranoid to doubt her. She was going to be his wife, there was no other.

Deng Ai sat with his back slouched. "You'll crush your suit!" The old man scolded him. But Shizai sighed. "I just feel so uneasy, you know?"

"Indeed... I can't say I've been in your shoes." Sima Wang smirked as he walked in the door.

"For a best man, you really know how to come in late."

"Regardless, I'm here, no?"

"True... Has everyone arrived?"

"Yes, even Generals Ma Dai and Lu Kang."

"Good... I've already had Xuanbo send letters of explanation. Since they're both old veterans and loyalists of their nations, there's no foul play suspected."

"Besides, they know what kind of man you are."

"Huh?"

"Don't you know?" Sima Wang smirked. "Your deeds among the Xiongnu are well known, and those kinds of rumors spread far. They know that you're a good man."

"I don't think of myself as a good man..."

"Then why would a smart girl like Xin choose a man like you if you were evil? If you were, your talents would merely be the greatest threat to China. You're a good man, Shizai, and she fell in love with a man of both benevolence and talent like you."

"Stop flattering me..."

"If the truth is flattery, well, that shows how damned our world is, no?"

"Hmn..."

* * *

Her feet pressed against the carpet as she walked closer to him, standing there in that glorious suit of his. She could see him clearly, with a slight red tint through the wedding veil, but he couldn't tell who was under it. He stared hopefully at the veil, praying that nothing happened and that Xin would be his.

She blushed slightly. Many girls would dread this day... They'd be married off to strangers, to people that they hardly knew well. Her mother was married off to a boy who she had practically just met, but Chen Xin had the fortune of marrying _him_. Heaven seemed so kind to her, and to him as well. In any other situation Shizai would be getting married to a pretty girl as a ploy to steal off his money, and to force him to father children with a woman whom he didn't love... But here was different. Here he was marrying the woman he loved, something few could cherish.

She finally reached his side, and the monk who stood beside them let Shizai take off the veil. The young man blushed with joy when he saw his bride... His _Xin_. (2.)

They held the ribbon between them, the knot that symbolized their union, and all those present cheered. The men of Wei were witnessing the union of two families: One that had been of a noble house for generations, and another who was just about to begin... Deng Shizai had achieved what his ancestors had not, and now that he was marrying Xin his line was about to become legendary...

As if he cared!

All he needed was her. Who gave a damn about the clan glory crap? His children would make names for themselves, like he had. There would be no special spoons given to them by bureaucrats who were using their clan as an excuse to steal money from. Deng Shizai intended for his sons to become useful, productive members of society, not worthless leaches who would take resources from their parents, from their comrades, or from their nation.

They kissed, and they all cheered. Today they would walk the same road... They had each other forever, and neither would ever be alone again, and they were one.

* * *

1. I'm sure we've all forgotten about Cao Bang back in Chapter 3, except for Deng Ai, apparently. This was a historical moment and I felt that it was quite touching, so I wanted to include it.

2. This word also sounds like the word for heart "Xin," but because Romanization can be so vague when it comes to Chinese, I didn't want Chen Xin's original name to have "heart" in it... After all, that tends to be rather awkward... Come to think of it, it honestly does fit her, as she's so passionate, like a beating heart.


	15. Wild

Warning: Some activity that may be considered sexual is in this chapter, for dramatic effect, of course.

Chapter 15: Wild

Five months had passed since their wedding.

Deng Ai leaned back in his chair. Their home was more lively now that both of them were living in it. With Xin's fiery temper, to claim that nothing exciting happened in the house would be a filthy lie.

It was difficult, to say the least, to attempt to disagree with Xin. For some reason it seemed that her pregnancy had caused Xin to be a bit more, well, irritable, to say the least. Xin had a horrible temper, that much was true, and she could get violent, yes, but to chase after him with a frying pan for three hours straight because he refused to agree with her about the name of their future child was not something he'd expect Xin to do, even if she was totally pissed.

But after whacking him a few times, she finally came to her senses and tried to get him immediate medical attention, even when he didn't really need it, so it was all good.

That was two days ago. Since then she was apologetic and friendly with him; sometimes it seemed awkward for her to get so extreme, but he didn't mind. This morning though, she suddenly disappeared the moment the couple awoke, taking her sword with her. Shizai wasn't sure what she'd need that sword for, but she knew how to use it properly, and maybe it was just to make her feel safer when she went out shopping. He didn't feel the need to pry.

But now he wished he did. It was worrisome for her to be gone for so long. She'd always been eager, in fact way too eager at times, and now was no different. Shizai gulped, if anything happened to Xin, he'd... He wouldn't be able to live with himself.

Grabbing his own blade, he quickly put on some light mail and set out of the house. No matter what, he had to make sure that Xin would be ok. Nothing else mattered.

* * *

He walked around, finding no sign of her, until he saw a group of young women hounding a cloaked man on the side of the street. Stepping forward, he recognized that man. He was the best man at Shizai's wedding: Sima Wang!

It was surprising, to say the least, to find that the eccentric scholar had earned himself a few fangirls, but it looked as though his friend wanted them to stop hounding him, so Shizai stepped forward and helped get them to leave.

"I humbly thank you for your assistance."

"It was nothing, but, if you mind, I've got an urgent problem on my hands..."

"Well, tell me about it, and I'll give you a hand. That's what friends are for, right?"

* * *

"It would be wise for us to get some fighters, as I can hardly engage enemy troops, unless you want me to taunt or debate with them. You're a strong fighter, but I doubt you could handle six enemy warriors on your own. We need people who can fight better than either of us, well, better than you, since I can't fight." Sima Wang pointed out after Shizai explained his case.

"Well, got any ideas?" Shizai raised an eyebrow.

"Um, Shi Zuan and Yang Xin just arrived a few hours ago. I spoke to them at the city gate. If we hurry, we'll find them at the bar."

"Hmn, I guess heaven's on our side after all. Let's go."

* * *

Yang Xin leaned back in his chair. This was the life, no orders from some git, no sweating over enemy ambushes, and no dealing with crappy superiors.

Shi Zuan, too, was fed up with all that marching. He preferred to hunt down prey alone. An army tends to be difficult to lead. Troops too often treat their commanders like fools when they make petty mistakes. Shi Zuan was far from perfect, hell, he often made mistakes, but that was why he liked having Shizai as a commander, and as a friend. Deng Ai wasn't so uptight about things, and thus both Shi Zuan and Yang Xin could perform their duties without the stress of having to be pinpoint perfect. He suited them, and they hoped that they suited him.

But even so, they wanted to take a break...

Which wasn't going to happen.

Sima Wang walked into the bar, strolled up to the bartender, and whispered in his ear.

"Misters Shi and Yang, someone's calling for you two." The barkeep yelled.

Shi Zuan and Yang Xin stared at each other.

What could be happening now?

* * *

Four men huddled in front of the bar.

"Glad to see that you two could make it." Deng Ai smiled.

"What's going on?" Shi Zuan asked first.

Sima Wang answered for his friend. "Apparently, Xin went off on an adventure on her own, and she's been missing for several hours now."

Shi Zuan's eyes narrowed. "Well, Xin's the adventurous type. How are you sure that she's not merely walking around in some nearby wilderness? She's no weakling..."

Shizai stared intently at him. "She's pregnant. I don't want any harm to come to her or our child. A pregnant woman has a much higher chance of getting hurt, and because her energies are spent on the baby, Xin will be much less capable of defending herself, even with her sword."

Yang Xin stroked his chin. "To think that a crazy harpy like her would actually get impregnated by a man." He chuckled.

Sima Wang and Shi Zuan both stared at him. "Her husband's right th..." The eccentric one tried to warn his foolish friend, but it was too late.

Yang Xin's head was caught in Shizai's armpit. "You take back that insult now, or I shall..."

"Killing your ally won't solve anything!" Sima Wang yelled.

"I don't think Yang Xin agreed to an arse-wooping!" Shi Zuan added.

"Please...?" Yang Xin whimpered in a soft voice.

Shizai narrowed his eyes. "Fine..."

"So childish." Sima Wang chuckled to himself.

* * *

And so four fools continued their search, wandering about in the bustling city of Ru Nan.

Night finally fell upon them, and still the search proved fruitless. "Shizai... We should call it quits for the night." Sima Wang spoke.

"You say that only because you consider her a friend, a strong person who would be able to fend for herself, but Xin is pregnant with our child, and she has been defeated. It's most likely that she was attacked by men far stronger than her. I doubt that such people would treat her with the least amount of decency, and thus as her husband I must be there for her no matter what. Go on, you three, go and abandon her if you wish, but I will continue to search for her no matter what." Shizai growled.

His three comrades exchanged worried glances. "Xin's our friend, as well as your wife. Don't assume that we don't give a damn about her, because that would be a lie. It's just that, well, we've wasted so much time as it stands." Shi Zuan began.

"Then we'll waste more! We'll do whatever it takes! I will not fail her!" Shizai shook his head furiously and continued to wander about.

Yang Xin's eyes began to droop with fatigue, but he stepped forward. "Alright then, you lousy brat. We'll keep on searchin'... But you owe me a beer."

Shi Zuan wiped his face with his arm. "Count me in."

Sima Wang nodded, and smiled. "I too, shall continue assisting you, friend."

Shizai let his head nod ever so slightly. "Thanks... But let's get going." He spoke in monotone.

Together, the four continued to move about, searching for her.

* * *

She felt that warm breath on her neck.

And its owner wasn't _him_.

No, this man came from behind. His comrades surrounded her, and stopped her from protecting that poor little girl...

It had been happening for too long. She would talk to patrol officers and they'd tell her the same thing every night:

Young women were being abducted on the streets, taken to heaven knows where.

As the daughter of Chen Tai, warrior of Wei, she could not let this stand. If these patrol officers were too incompetent to fulfill the task, she'd complete it for them. She'd find these young women and take them back home.

After all, she wasn't that much older than them. Though she was old for a girl of marriageable age, that was still a relatively young lifespan. She was only twenty years old, and most of these girls were fifteen or so. What did these girls do to deserve such a cruel fate? Why did heaven have to damn them so? It made absolutely no sense!

And now she was walking in their shoes. The burly man stood over her, with a lewd smile spreading across his face.

She wanted to scream... Someone had to come... It could be Zhong Hui, for all she cared... But someone, someone had to have enough compassion to rescue her and these poor young girls from these _things_. Yes, these were not men. They were beasts, little better than animals in their lust and lack of a conscience. They were letting the natural urge to mate and sire children consume them... And for that they were not human.

The brute put his hand on her breast. He kissed her collarbone, and she could feel his saliva drip down her body. Her face contorted itself in disgust, and the demon laughed.

"If only I had my sword... I could castrate this bastard... Why isn't anyone coming?" She winced, fearing the worst.

Slowly, he tore the silk garments intended to protect her from the elements. With each tearing noise, she winced even more. "I'm going to get raped here, aren't I?" She thought bitterly.

She remembered that old proverb: "If you want something done, do it yourself." She was not bound or shackled, she merely had this brute above her, and she was delirious from some sort of drug they used on her. Raising her knee, she quickly struck his jewels and tried to flee. She couldn't let them take her, no, she belonged to Shizai and no one else.

With a cry of pain, the brute clutched his nether regions, and his comrades quickly heard him. They emerged from the various hallways of this base of sorts, nearly trapping her. Without a sword, Xin was forced to rely on martial instincts earned through her military background. With a swift sweep kick, she sent one imbecile crashing to the floor.

It was a matter of evasion, now. These big, bulky men were slow and strong. She had to dodge them and try to find some opening from which she could escape... Once she found Shizai, or other reinforcements, she could consider rescuing those poor girls.

* * *

A patrol officer found four men lurking about that night.

"Sirs? What are you four doing?"

"I am Deng Ai, Commander of the Western Legion. We have a hostage situation, and I will not leave this area until she is rescued."

The patrolman gasped: "Forgive me, sir... But it seems that the bandits in this area have kidnapped several women..."

"Why didn't your district report this to Central? Do you have any idea how much damage those bandits have done to this community?! Not to mention..."

"Not to mention?..."

"Made a captive of my wife!" Shizai growled.

The patrolman gulped. The rank of "Commander of the Western Legion" was very high in Wei's military. If Shizai were angry enough, he could cause doom for the entire Policing District for decades to come.

"We heard that their base lies in the Xugong hills, to the south. If you head there, you could..."

"Great thanks. Please tell your superiors to send as many officers as they can. If your district captures the bandit leader, it would increase your reputation tenfold." Shizai nodded and ran off, with the other three in hot pursuit.

* * *

"Damn these bandits and their extensive labyrinth of a base!" Xin cursed to herself as she tried to find a way to escape.

But in every corridor, there would be three or more bandits trying to capture her.

To combat such foes, she'd leap over their heads and give them swift kicks to the face. After all, since she was quite an athletic girl, such feats were no trouble for her at all.

After beating up many a stupid thug, Xin found a storage room. Various swords lay scattered on the ground: it looked as though the bandits here were fumbling about for axes, swords, and other smaller weapons to use against Xin as she escaped. Among these weapons was her sword, which she gladly retook.

Unfortunately, the moment she left the storage room, she heard the shuffling of footsteps all around her. Since she was unable to kill those bandits with simple blows to the face and legs, many of them had now recovered and were on the move, searching frantically for her. After all, if they let her escape, she'd inform the outside of the exact location and nature of their base, and with too many foes laying siege to them, these bandits would be doomed.

* * *

Standing before a cave, Shizai turned to his three comrades. "Now we shall enter this enemy fortress, and thus we will be facing many skilled opponents. Zichu, you will serve as our rear defense, since you can hardly fight... I will be next to you most of the time, so you need not worry if foes really do come at our rear. Shi Zuan, Yang Xin, my friends, you two will serve as our frontal force, and I'll be in the middle. Though this position might end up being risky, well, there are only four of us so we can't expect this to be a walk in the park. You three are my brothers, and thus you can be sure that I won't let you down... I've led you through the gate to hell once, and I will lead you out again. This will be a tough battle, but when Xin is saved, well, you all will have my deepest gratitude... I thank you all once again for accompanying me thus far, and I ask that you continue to do so 'till we save her."

"You bet." Shi Zuan and Yang Xin smirked, while Sima Wang nodded with a smile.

"Ok, then. We're going in!"

* * *

She raised the sword to her chest. Maybe this was it. She felt tired, for she hadn't eaten in hours. These bastards were closing in from all directions, and though Xin could fight if she really had to, she wasn't a warrior... She learned how to fight solely to protect those she loved, not because she truly enjoyed being on the battlefield. Yes, hurting people could be fun sometimes, but in the end to stab a man and watch him crumple on the ground, with his blood spilling everywhere was not something she'd want to see.

The first wave began to appear as they entered the hallway. She raised her sword, and as they came closer she leapt forward and began to hack away at them, closing her eyes and feeling the drops of blood splash against her face. This was it... Once she fell, she'd be theirs. She'd never see Shizai again.

But from behind her she heard shouts, and the deep screams of a few men startled her. Moments later, she heard a familiar voice. "Get back!"

"Zichu, is that you?" She thought, not turning for fear of getting attacked. (1.)

"Xin!" She heard another voice... One that she hadn't heard in too long. For a second, she froze, knowing that he was coming. Seconds later, a rough hand grabbed her by the shoulders and yanked her back, and she saw Shi Zuan's burly muscles and the more slender form of Yang Xin charge in front of her to engage the pursuing bandits. She nearly dropped her sword before a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her.

"Xin..." He whispered in her ear.

For a moment, Chen Tai's daughter broke down and cried. Heaven gave her a miracle that day.

* * *

1. Posting this note earlier would be confusing. Zichu is Sima Wang's style name. Unfortunately, Shi Zuan and Yang Xin are considered petty NPCs and/or officers and thus do not have style names... There will be more background characters (at least from the novel or game perspective) that will show up, for I want to include as many of those who fought with Deng Ai or Zhong Hui in Shu's last hours.


	16. Duty

Chapter 16: Duty

Sweeping the front porch of their house with her broom, Chen Xin sighed as she stared down the stone street. She felt old, suddenly, as she moved about. With four children, well, she definitely wasn't that young, spunky girl anymore. Now, no matter how greatly she wanted to travel, she had her children to care for. Even though Deng Zhong was stationed as a captain in the army, a high rank for one his age, he was still a boy, with many things his mother had to scold him for whenever he was discharged and sent back home.

Her husband, being a general of a very high order, had some business to attend to. Fifteen years had passed since their wedding, and Chen Xin knew of the truce Wei, Shu, and Wu agreed on. After fifteen years peace would officially end, and thus all military activity would be risen tenfold. Xin turned to her second son, diligently studying at the window. Would he have to join the military as a commander, like his father?

As she continued to absentmindedly wave her broom about, a man wearing an imperial robe approached their home.

"Lady Chen." He spoke, startling her.

"Eh? Who are you, sir?"

The official seemed peeved at her blunt response, but bowed. "I am a messenger for Prime Minister Sima Zhao."

"Sima Zhao..." Chen Xin mouthed the words, and she inwardly smiled. Sima Yi had finally passed on. His son Sima Shi got involved in some 'issues' to the north, as he had to deal with the 'traitor' Hao Zhao. Hao Zhao, however, was innocent of all charges against him, but Sima Shi refused to listen. Both men were forced to fight using Imperial troops as their bodyguards. After fierce fighting, both commanders were slain, and the surviving troops joined forces under the Wei banner and reported the situation to Sima Zhao, Sima Yi's second son. Sima Zhao immediately assumed his brother and father's positions as Prime Minister, declaring that Wei needed a new leader to guide them. With this declaration, he completely ignored the Emperor's sovereignty, but there was nothing Chen Tai or any of the true Wei loyalists could do to directly contradict him.

And now that Sima Zhao was in charge, she was worried about what would happen, but at the very least two Sima's were down. Now all they needed to do was get rid of this last one and life would be so much better.

But Xin quickly snapped out of her little fantasy. "Why are you here?" She asked as haughtily as possible.

"Women..." The messenger muttered bitterly under his breath. "Lord Sima Zhao requests the services of your husband, Deng Ai. Enemy troops are beginning to mass themselves north of Hanzhong, and soon they may strike again. Either your father or your husband would be suitable commanders, but considering the fact that your father's an old man, Deng Shizai should go instead."

Chen Xin returned that bitterness with her own glare. She knew well the lies Sima Zhao used, making imbeciles think that all his actions were for the good of Wei. No, Emperor Cao Fang, the heir of former Emperor Cao Rui, was merely Zhao's "safety net." If any of the Empire's deeds were considered amoral, Cao Fang would be the one to blame, not Prime Minister Sima Zhao. No matter how horrible Sima Zhao was, it would be Cao Fang's fault for not dismissing him.

Because of this, Chen Xin was quite unwilling to have her husband waste his sweat and energy on that bastard's behalf, so, staring down the messenger, she answered: "I ask that you come at a later time, when my husband returns. Otherwise, you will be trespassing, and as a mere 'messenger,' you would bring dishonor to your liege, and because my husband is of such a high rank, you shall be punished quite severely. I'd advise you to return to your lodgings for now."

Stunned by her tenacity, the messenger decided to back off. "Fair enough, woman, I will return for your mate soon enough. When that day comes, he will be forced to comply, and you will be forced to let him go in the name of my lord."

Chen Xin let out a bitter laugh. "So you aren't a liar. Hmn, that's interesting. You accept the actions of your lord, and you seem to have no complaints regarding those disgraceful actions."

"I agree with Lord Sima Zhao completely, woman, and you have no right to insult him."

"Oh, and what can Lord Sima Zhao do to me for merely speaking my mind on the matter? It is an opinion, and he does not have to consider it at all. What can mere words do to you? Are you that afraid of sounds emitted from a mouth?"

The messenger's face flashed red with rage. "You dare insult me? That's quite brave of you, I must admit. Woman, it is a pity that your courage and intelligence were not given to my master, rather, you merely gave yourself to such an inferior man."

It was Chen Xin's turn to get angry. "You have no place to consider my husband inferior, and your lord is a pathetic cretin if he even considers the reasoning that Shizai is inferior to him."

"How dare you insult my lord?!"

"Oh? So you have the right to make ridicule of my husband, and I have no right to counter you? Would you so eagerly disregard all ethical reasoning?"

The messenger began to calm down. "True, it is the duty of the wife to support and protect her husband in times like this. Very well, I said earlier that I will return, woman, and your pathetic attempts to hold him back will all be in vain." With that, the servant turned his heel and walked off.

Chen Xin glared at his retreating form, her eyes filled with the fires of hate, when she heard a voice behind her. "I've said this once, and I'll say it again: one of these days your mouth will be the doom of you, Xin."

Chen Xin's enraged face quickly shifted to a pleasant, beaming one. "But then I have you to protect me, right?" She turned to him with a warm smile.

Deng Ai chuckled. "I'd probably just get in your way."

Chen Xin's rage immediately returned to her. "Do I seem that much of a brute to you?!"

"Of course not!"

"But you're worried about me, right...?" She quickly calmed down.

"He's gone now, what's with the sudden shift in moods?" Shizai asked, his face showing concern.

"I... I guess I just got too worked up, that's all..." She shook her head.

Deng Ai put his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Well, there is no need to worry about it. Just stay calm and you'll be fine."

"It's so easy for you to say, yet when you engage in battle, you'd definitely not be able to stay so calm."

"But it's always best to try to remain calm at all times, no? Just don't let your temper get the better of you, and watch your mouth, for those bastards will use any excuse they can to hurt you, and insulting them would be an easy way for them to make some excuse to harm you."

"Then don't put yourself in danger all the time, and I won't have to be so vicious with my words. Do you see me snap at Zichu and the others?"

"Actually, yes, I do. You even snap at me every once in a while. I guess that's just how your personality is like... Not that I find it bothersome... After all, I married you."

"Then stop complaining."

"But I don't want you to get hurt."

"Shizai, you always tell me not to worry about you, well, then I expect you to do likewise. Stop worrying about me!"

"Fine... Just don't overdo it." He sighed.

"Anyways, will you truly consider his request?"

"Would you rather have more innocents die at the hands of the Shu army?"

"Well..."

"If you're thinking of people like Ma Dai, well, though the Shu army has that reputation, in reality they will only show such kindness to those they deem 'loyal to the Han.' Anyone else will die slowly and painfully, for that is the punishment they give to traitors. People like Ma Dai are merely exceptions to that rule."

"Then isn't it more dangerous if you were to fight people like them?!"

"Hmn, and do you think our forces are any better?"

"Well, then... Then there is no army that can be trusted, no?"

"No, there is no army one can trust, except for the army that stands beside you. If you were to try to pull a trick like you did at Long Xi, you'd only be risking your life. Stay here, Xin, for I will return to you. Just, just let me do what I must do for the people of Wei. We can discuss our plans to avoid giving Sima Zhao what he wants later.."

"Shizai..." Xin shook her head, as she could feel the tears swelling in her eyes. "Don't get yourself killed, you hear? You're more than just a fighter, now... You're a father, and a husband, and you have many more responsibilities than only those on the field of battle... I know that you have to fight, but keep that in mind and don't let us down... Don't leave me!"

Shizai quickly grabbed her shoulders. "I won't... I'll come back... Just wait for me to then..."

"I... I'll wait as long as it takes, until I see you again."

Deng Ai nodded. "Take care, Xin... I'll be back..." With those words, he walked off.

* * *

"Dear friends, the Han has been spat on for far too long! For too long have we let these traitors take refuge in lands stolen from our great Emperor. Tonight shall the first night of retribution after these fifteen long years. Tonight, my brothers, we shall avenge all those who have fallen, and we shall make certain that these traitors reap what they have sown!" Jiang Wei raised his spear, and his army cheered.

Here they were, camped to the north of Hanzhong. It had been long, far too long, so long that they had forgotten what their true purpose was. Those training exercises seemed pointless until this very day. But now they would see if their training had paid off, for now they were about to engage those traitors of Wei.

Ma Dai had warned Jiang Wei until his breath went dry, but Boyue insisted on warring with Wei. The people of Shu were not enthusiastic at all when they heard that they had to sacrifice more of their fathers and sons to make Jiang Wei realize that war was pointless. But Boyue did listen to one of Ma Dai's warnings. That, of course, involved Wei Yan.

Shu minister Yang Yi framed Wei Yan before the late Prime Minister Zhuge Liang. He claimed that Wei Yan was making deals with Sima Yi in secret. Of course, this was far from the truth, but Kongming believed that Wei Yan, having assisted in the death of Han Xuan, was untrustworthy. Yang Yi had done his duty as a Minister. He helped fortify the administration of Ba province, and because of his work, Zhuge Liang felt that his words could be considered. Kongming gave Ma Dai directions as to how Wei Yan should be killed, but though Ma Dai listened to Kongming's words, he did not agree with them at all.

Instead, Ma Dai spoke to Jiang Wei about Yang Yi's accusations towards Wei Yan, which were immediately investigated thoroughly and found to be false. For framing a comrade, Yang Yi was demoted, and shortly afterwards he mysteriously disappeared. Fei Yi, one of Shu's civil ministers, later reported to Jiang Wei that Yang Yi was spotted in one of Wei's border posts, and he later disappeared deeper into Wei. Yang Yi was merely describing to Kongming his own plans, only replacing his name with Wei Yan's.

With Yang Yi having betrayed them, Jiang Wei found it prudent to give Wei Yan the rank of Van Leader for his invasive force. After all, Wei Yan would definitely be more than willing to capture Yang Yi and bring him to justice. With Xiahou Ba as their main advisor, the men of Shu headed off. Ma Dai, sickened by this change in events, sent memorial after memorial to the throne, with Liu Chan merely shrugging his opinion aside. Fei Yi and others tried to calm Ma Dai, and the general finally felt disheartened. Exhausted from trying to put some sense into his comrades, Ma Dai was soon bedridden and unable to keep his post at the Yang Ping pass. Instead, he returned to his home at Zi Tong.

Without any further objections, Jiang Wei decided to head off. Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, Wang Ping, and many other Shu officers of merit were long dead by now. Of course, this made Ma Dai even more worried about Jiang Wei's chance of success, but Boyue was unfazed. Their spirits would merely assist the army even further as they marched.

So, the Shu army, two hundred thousand strong, descended upon the kingdom of Wei. Once again, people would die and cities would crumble. But this time, one nation would fall while the other would rise, and 'peace' would hardly be a reality.

* * *

Deng Ai and his troops arrived at Chen Cang. There, Sima Wang, Yang Xin, and Shi Zuan, his old guard, came to meet him. "Well, looks like we'll be sharing the command with Wang Jing and his band." Shi Zuan greeted his commander.

"What do you mean by 'Wang Jing and his band?' What kind of officers does he have?"

"Yang Yi, Shao Ti, Wei Guan, and others. I don't think that those guys would willingly listen to our requests." Shi Zuan replied.

"Indeed. We might as well make an agreement that we'll strike the enemy in two separate units. Otherwise, one disorganized unit would definitely fail." Sima Wang added.

"Oh, come on!" Deng Ai groaned. "It's not like they'd smack us in the face for talking to them! We're on the same side, so we might as well cooperate." With that, Shizai walked over to Wang Jing's camp.

"Hah... Looks like your manliness failed you." Yang Xin pointed at Shi Zuan and laughed.

The bulkier man glared down at him. "We both went over there, and talked to them, and got nothing in return. It's not like I didn't try."

"Well, let's see if Shizai can pull it off." Sima Wang spoke.

* * *

Deng Ai and Wang Jin found themselves sitting at a table in Wang's war tent.

"What's with the formalities?" Shizai blinked, looking around the room.

Shao Ti, dressed in the strategist's garb, answered: "It would be wise if we retrain our dignity as officers and warriors of Wei. After all, we are of a superior plain to those refugees from Shu. We established this Empire and made it so powerful, while they cling onto the fragments of the once great Han Dynasty. They are pathetic, while we are mighty."

"But insisting on wearing such garb at all times would only distract you, for it's best to care for such formal attire, no? Besides, you'll only tick off the troops, for by doing this you're making yourself seem elitist."

"It seems you do not understand the importance of elegance, General."

"Or perhaps it's merely the fact that you're simply too proud for your own good, sir."

"It is good to have pride in your origins, no? We are the noble warriors of Wei, while they are the groveling cretins of Shu Han." Shao Ti replied.

Shizai nearly facepalmed, but Wang Jing spoke. "Well, it seems that your men are quite sincere. They spoke to us earlier, though they were relatively barbaric in their ways. No matter, we are comrades fighting for the same goal, so let us work together. You will strike the enemy from the east, while we shall pound them from the west. With our combined might, and with my unit having the expertise of Yang Yi, we shall prevail over those Shu curs."

"Fair enough. I look forward to our victory."

"Indeed, but you need not fret. Victory will be ours. After all, don't forget that I am your ally."

"Right, I definitely won't." Shizai bowed, smiled, and left the room as fast as he possibly could.

* * *

The moment Jiang Wei entered Wei's border, his scouts gave him troubling news.

"Commander, flocks of arrows descended upon us the moment the enemy city came into view. When we began to retreat, enemy calvary units emerged from the forests and chased us off. I am the last survivor." A single soldier bowed.

"Those foes truly know the meaning of ambushes. Perhaps we should use fire to lure them out." Jiang Wei thought.

"General! Our reinforcements have been cut off!" Shu officer Ning Sui yelled.

"Wait... What?!" Jiang Wei spun around. "How did they?"

"Enemy troops are upon us!" A Shu lieutenant cried into the thick morning air.

"I... Hate... Valleys..." Wei Yan groaned, groggily exiting his tent to find Shu soldiers getting butchered by their Wei counterparts.

* * *

Wang Jing smirked at the success of his attack. Now Jiang Wei's unit was caught in a snare, with Wang Jing's troops surrounding the younger commander.

"Sir, we should finish them with a thrust through their center. If we cut off their camp in two equal halves, the idiotic Shu troops will be so disheartened that they will be completely unable to retaliate, and we shall win the day. Deng Ai's unit will not even be necessary for us to report our victory to Lord Sima Zhao." Shao Ti advised.

"Yet, it's quite entertaining to toy with them for a little longer." Wang Jing chuckled.

Shao Ti simply bowed. "As you wish."

* * *

Jiang Wei's spear struck many a Wei helmet as he frantically tried to save his army. Beside him, Wei Yan growled as he plunged his spear into the chest of a Wei lieutenant, forcing the officer to cough blood and die in a shower of red. But those deaths were not enough to turn the tide, and a sea of Shu troops fell screaming in pain. Soldier after soldier found themselves getting arrowed right in the face, or having spears shoved in several parts of their body, at exactly the same time. Jiang Wei prayed to the heavens that somehow the Han would prevail over such treacherous foes, but it didn't look like he'd be able to return home with his head up high after all.

Wang Jing's troops slowly pushed deeper and deeper, forcing what was left of the Shu army into a semicircle of sorts. The Shu troops surrounded their medical supplies, hoping that they'd eventually exhaust the Wei army and be able to heal themselves with whatever they had left. However, Wang Jing did not intend to give them any quarter, and he ordered his archers to use firebolts. These 'fireballs on a stick' pelted the Shu lines and set them aflame, and Jiang Wei had to watch as half of his army screamed as they were made extra crispy.

* * *

A few miles away, Zhang Yi noticed the wall of fire spreading over the border, and gasped. "If our commander is in trouble, I should go there myself with ample reinforcements, and even if he is not, I'm sure he could use our support. Men, let us go and help our brothers restore the Han!" With a yell, fifty thousand Shu soldiers left their defensive posts and went to assist Jiang Wei.

* * *

As Zhang Yi rushed forward, Deng Ai was observing the situation with some amusement. "So Wang Jing tortures Jiang Wei, crushing him in that tiny space, while Zhang Yi rushes to help save his sorry arse. Well, then. If I were to strike Zhang Yi now, the Shu army would be forced to flee, and Wei would be safe. Though, I am worried that Wang Jing might take some intensive measures in his tormenting of Jiang Wei, but I suppose it's all for the best. All units, move out for Zhang Yi's unit! We must make sure that the Shu reinforcements do not interfere with Wang Jing's success!"

* * *

There was nothing like running to save your comrades, and then getting beaten soundly by your foes before you could even arrive to their aid.

Zhang Yi's unit ran as fast as it could, when it suddenly stopped short. Before them was a single man wearing a monk's robe.

"Ah, unbelievers." The monk spoke with a smile as he looked at them. "If you return yourself to the Buddhist faith, you will be able to continue on your way. Otherwise, the Bodhisattva will make certain that you will never achieve nirvana."

* * *

From a nearby bush, Shi Zuan muttered bitterly in Deng Ai's ear: "It's more like we'll never achieve nirvana like this."

"Oh, come on! Have you ever seen Sima Wang willing to pull a prank on someone, friend or enemy? Now he finally gets the chance to use his nerdy obsessions to good use!"

"And you call his religious faith a 'nerdy obsession?' Besides, isn't this stunt an insult to Buddhism?"

"Since when were you the type to get into an intellectual debate?"

"This just ain't right, man."

"Tell that to him. He's the Buddhist of our group, and he's doing it just fine."

"Fair enough..."

* * *

"But I'm a Buddhist!" A Shu lieutenant blurted out.

"Oh? Then why are you wearing a military outfit? It is not right to promote violence, boy."

"But... Oh, I get it. _'Water that is too pure contains no fish.'_"

"No! This is a BUDDHIST gathering, do not use Taoist sayings here. Those are heathen words!"

"Wait... Now you're going too fa..."

"Brave sons of the Bodhisattva, attack these infidels!"

With that, the Wei army descended upon Zhang Yi's unit, ripping those confused Shu soldiers apart.

* * *

With the total annihilation of Zhang Yi's unit, Jiang Wei had hardly any chance to escape. "What will I do now?" He groaned as he raised his head to the sky.

Xiahou Ba growled slightly. "We are the men of Shu. Will we so readily admit defeat and lower our arms?! I chose this different path for a reason... I could no longer bear the horrors of the Sima clan, yet will these Sima loyalists claim victory over us, the champions of Shu? I think not! General, we can still break through their lines and return to base... We may be defeated, but we are far from annihilated. No matter how many times it takes, we shall destroy these curs of Wei!"

"Right!... They... Will... Die..." (1.) Wei Yan sneered.

The rest of the Shu officers were in agreement. They swore to save the Han, to admit their utter destruction now and simply disperse was not the way of the Han loyalist. No, today, they would break past these treacherous foes and fight once again. They were the men of the Han, and no rebel army could possibly stop their momentum.

* * *

Deng Ai saw a miracle that day... One that wasn't in his favor, but it was a miracle nonetheless. This handful of Shu warriors suddenly charged forward and, though there were a mob of foes blocking their way, they cut past the Wei lines and made it to the other side. With flying feet they ran for the Shu border. When Wang Jing tried to pursue, Wei Yan raised a bow, notched an arrow, and fired, piercing the commander's shoulder and forcing Wang Jing to personally fall back. With Wang Jing so greatly injured, the Wei army lost the will to pursue, and soon the Shu army disappeared from sight.

"Dammit!" Yang Xin growled as he watched Jiang Wei run. "This fight will be far from over..."

Deng Ai gulped as he stared forward. With Wang Jing down, the Shu army's return would not be so quickly thwarted, and perhaps he would be forced to engage Jiang Wei head-on.

* * *

1.Sorry, SilentNinja. Wei Yan speak is just too funny. I must continue including it.


	17. What Must Be Done

Author's note: Finally, the seventeenth chapter! Seven's my lucky number, so add a ten to it and I tend to feel that it's special. And, as a matter a fact, it is. If you're a diehard Shuist, after reading some way there will be a splitting point in the story, where Deng Ai's future will change based on the fic I've written. Basically, I have a side-story written that branches off from that point, and the outcome of that story will prove far more beneficial for Shu than in this main fic. If you truly do not want to see Shu's demise, no matter what, then I'd advise you to read that fic, entitled The Stuttering Stallion: Blazing a Trail. Otherwise, readers, please stick around, and I hope that you enjoy this newest chapter!

* * *

Chapter 17: What Must Be Done

"I told you, but you did not listen..." Ma Dai gasped, trying hard to breathe, as his blood pressure went so high that some of his major arteries nearly burst.

Wei Yan, Jiang Wei, and all the Shu officers gathered around their older comrade were shocked. Ma Dai was hardly one to get so angry, but here he was, infuriated beyond measure.

"Yes, as warriors of the Han we ought to defeat Wei and restore the dynasty, but if we just waste soldiers and more lives to do this, what's the purpose? The borders around Tian Shui are heavily guarded, and even if you were able to pull off a stunt like you did back when Guo Huai was in charge, it will be of little use. They'll just retake the entire area in a matter of months. Now Wang Jing has become a major commander, and Chen Tai, along with Deng Ai are still alive and kicking. We must find a different area to attack. Jingzhou, perhaps, would be a good striking point. If we can use Wu's help and capture Xiang Yang, we can strike through Wancheng and eventually reach the old Han capital at Luoyang itself."

"Or... Go... Through... Xie... Gu... Pass,... We... Can... Take... Changan... That... Way..." Wei Yan nodded.

"No..." Jiang Wei shook his head.

Ma Dai tried to speak, but Wei Yan beat him to it. "Why...?"

"Xie Gu requires moving a large number of troops in a short amount of time, and I do not want to risk an ambush there. As for Jingzhou, who says we can trust those Wu bastards?"

"They... Are... Allies..." Wei Yan objected.

"So? Doesn't mean we can trust..." Jiang Wei retorted, but was cut off by Wei Yan again.

"We... Need... Allies!... Can't... Win... Alone..."

"I refuse to insult the great armies of Han by depending on those traitors for help."

"You... Will... Kill... Us... All..." Wei Yan sighed.

At this point Ma Dai nodded slightly. At least one person saw what was really going to happen.

Jiang Wei, however, was not amused. "No wonder why the Prime Minister thought you were rebelling. Why are you objecting to everything I say? Are you disregarding my authority?!"

"No,... I... Follow... What... Is... Best... For... Shu..."

"Then..."

"But... You... Are... Making... Bad... Decisions,... Listen... To... Ma... Dai... Instead... Of... Opening... Your... Stupid... Mouth..."

"How dare you?!" Jiang Wei raised his spear.

"We... Can't... Afford... To... Fight,... This... Country... Needs... Us..."

"Shu does not need rebels like you!" With that, Jiang Wei challenged Wei Yan to a duel, lifting his spear in anger.

Wei Yan refused to raise his weapon, and only sighed. "If... You... Want,... I'll... Resign..."

"Perhaps that would be best. Even if you would betray us for the Wei or Wu rebels, you would not have any more authority, and thus your credibility would not exist. Very well, you are hereby demoted to the status of commoner." Jiang Wei snarled.

"Wait, Regent Marshall, your authority is not that great...!" Ma Dai protested.

"I have every right to demote a rebellious officer. Wenchang is lucky that he gets to keep his head. (1.) Hell, he no longer has the right to use that style name."

"And with good men like him tossed aside like yesterday's trash, Shu is doomed to fall..." Ma Dai muttered bitterly.

* * *

Deng Ai sat at the command post of the Chen Cang fort, when he received a message... From Li Hua:

"_My husband entrusted the care of our firstborn to you, General Deng Ai... It is hard for me to write this in words, so attached is a letter he wanted you to receive..."_

For a moment, Deng Ai froze. Chen Tai would normally send letters himself, not have others send them. Something terrible must have happened to him!

He flipped a page, and found his old teacher's handwriting. Eagerly, he read what his father wrote:

"_Son, if you are reading this, it means that my time is through._

_Those of the Sima clan are the bane of Wei. They will not cease until they have complete control over our beloved homeland. It is up to men like yourself to stand against them. Look for warriors like Guanqiu Jian, and scholars like Wang Jing. Jing may be arrogant beyond measure, but in his heart he is a good man, and he will gladly help you against Sima Zhao. Beware of men like Shao Ti and Zhong Hui, the latter of whom I'm sure you already know. They are Sima Zhao's supporters, and will stop at nothing to see him succeed..._

_But now, I have fallen. You are to continue upholding a moral code among the men of Wei. I taught you all that I could before the war erupted anew, and thus you will be forced to walk alone. But do not fear. You will find friends, like Sima Wang and Shi Zuan, who will always be by your side. Never forget your duty to the people. Do not let your feelings falter... I may be lost, but as long as you are alive, Wei still has a future._

_Take care of my daughter, and my grandchildren. It pains me to know that Deng Zhong will soon go to war, like his ancestors before him, but let us hope that his fate will not be cruel, not like mine. Someday, our descendants will be able to walk under the longtime banner of peace, but that day will not come if you let yourself succumb to sorrow and doubt. Stand strong, hope is still in the horizon!_

_Chen Wen will surely help you when you need it. You should remain in contact with him. I have several mutual friends with Guanqiu Jian whom Chen Wen and Li Hua know, and they could also assist you in this endeavor. Yang Xin currently has several plans that I specifically entrusted to him. Once he knows of my death, he will give them to you._

_May Heaven stand by you, my son, and I truly hope that my death was not in vain..."_

Deng Ai froze as tears slowly rolled down his face. Chen Tai was dead.

But he saw more writing, and quickly continued:

"_General, my husband died after Prime Minister Sima Zhao betrayed his duties and butchered Emperor Cao Fang. Of course, Sima Zhao ordered his General Jia Chong to do the deed, and my husband learned of the plan, but he could not stop Sima Zhao directly, as all credit and blame for the assassination went to Jia Chong. When Xuanbo declared that Jia Chong should be executed, Sima Zhao refused, and my husband, infuriated beyond measure, died from an excessive amount of blood pressure... His arteries burst one by one, killing him rather swiftly..._

_My husband has entrusted his dream of upholding the Wei empire and ensuring both the people's welfare and the welfare of military morals to you, and thus I hope that you will continue to uphold those ideals... Do not let the death of Chen Tai, General Who Conquers the West, be in vain. Do not let good fall before evil. You must remain steadfast, son. Stay steadfast and ready for the day when you can avenge my husband's death. Soon I will live with my daughter and your children, and I hope that you will one day be able to return home, son. When that day comes I hope that you will also be ready to move out once more and bring down that bastard Sima Zhao... Have faith, you have friends unknown who will come to your aid. Just stay steadfast and we will prevail in the end..."_

Deng Ai held the letter to his heart, and closed his eyes. "Mother, Father, I will uphold those ideals 'till the day I die. Sima Zhao will receive the punishment that he has rightfully deserved." (2.)

Sima Zhao killed Chen Tai, but Deng Ai still had his duty to Wei, and thus he could not let himself waver. He immediately informed his friends of the General's death, and they all agreed to continue standing by him.

Raising his sword, Deng Shizai yelled to his men. "Chen Tai, one of our greatest compatriots, has passed on. With his death, warriors, we shall not allow Shu to encroach upon our lands any further. We loyalists of Wei shall battle to the bitter end!"

* * *

From the south, twelve legions of Shu soldiers hiked up the great mountains in the hope that finally, they'd be able to liberate these lands from Wei's traitorous grasp. From the north, ten legions marched to stop them, to protect the innocent people who lived in these mountains under the Wei banner, and to ensure that the champions of a fallen Empire would flee back to the obdurate remnant of the once mighty Han.

Jiang Wei and Deng Ai, two heroes who were the champions of what they stood for, were to face each other once again. This time, however, historians would remember that there would no longer be peaceful days in the horizon when either were still alive.

"General, the Wei army will soon enter firing range. Shall we launch our catapults?" Zhang Yi asked as he watched Deng Ai's lines move closer.

"Not yet. Ready our calvary. We will run over these Wei lines the moment they appear."

* * *

"Commander, our scouts have reported that the enemy has brought artillery, and has already set them so that they can fire at will..."

"But it seems like they aren't planning to use them. Watch the dust clouds, they're low, close to the ground, but at the same time they're increasing in intensity. That only happens with calvary. If they were to use artillery, they'd be low, and then cease and disappear. Get the pikemen here at once. We're going to give them a warm and sharp reception." Deng Ai sneered.

* * *

_Rumble, rumble..._

Of the Xiong Nu, Han texts once warned of their fierce calvary, how Chinese infantry would freeze upon hearing the pounding of the horse's hooves against the ground.

Though Shu was hardly known for its mighty calvary, today Jiang Wei brought his finest to face the legions of Wei rebels. The Wei army could feel the ground beneath them shake, and they remembered those legends of old. Shivering in their boots, the Wei soldiers looked ready to bolt, but Deng Ai scolded them.

"Tales of old are things we should learn from. Thus, the reason why our ancestors had such a difficult time defeating the Xiong Nu was because we feared them. We let their intimidating actions mislead us into fearing them. That, of course, is probably the most pathetic thing we could have ever done to ourselves, but we fell for such traps. Men, these Shu warriors are attempting to use those same tactics, but will you let yourself succumb to fear and run before them, allowing them to pillage and destroy our homes? No! Today we fight, and we shall drive these Shu fools back whence they came!"

With that, Deng Ai raised his sword and sprinted forward. The Wei pikemen, watching their commander go alone, eagerly followed him, and the rest of the army followed. Wei's own calvary began to pound across the land, heading for their advancing Shu counterparts.

And the carnage began...

Fifty thousand riders plunged into thirty thousand pikemen. Man and horse died on the spot as these pikes speared through their bodies, skewering them and forming a wall of dead bodies on sticks in front of the Shu army. Jiang Wei could smell the stench of fallen comrades, but he did not falter. "Riders, jump over your brave fallen brothers and strike the enemy head on!" He commanded.

With that, the Shu riders leapt over their dead, only to find more pikes waiting for them. Several Wei pikemen actually threw up on the battlefield, as they could not stand the thought of rotting flesh and blood dripping on their heads, and seeping into their eyes and noses. Death covered the Wei army as wave upon wave of Shu calvary jumped and died on the edges of these long spears.

Jiang Wei's jaw hit the ground, and the rest of his men turned away from the sight. It was not fitting to see so much green and red. It looked like a field of grass, covered with red paint, all over brown trunks and blue soil. This, as one could imagine, was not pretty to the men clad in green.

But to say that Deng Ai saw any joy in this was to be a cruel lie. The warrior sighed as his pike troops began to quiver at the sight of such carnage. "Fall back!" He yelled to them, and they dropped their pikes, with bleeding bodies still stuck on them, and ran back to their commander's post.

Jiang Wei decided to press his attack. He ordered his men to ride forward, but Deng Ai immediately sent his own calvary galloping towards him.

_Rumble... Rumble..._

Now, the men of Shu began to quiver in their boots. "You are fighting for the Han! The twenty four Emperors of East Han shall stand beside you as you crush these Wei rebels!" He yelled, spear raised high.

But his yells of support failed to inspire his men. Rather, they began to feel pitiful, believing that their commander cared not for their safety. It seemed that he only cared about the fame he'd receive if he were to defeat Deng Ai. He'd be noted as Han's greatest general then, and thus all future Han generations would praise him for the rest of their lifetimes...

And thus, Jiang Wei watched as his still warriors were cut down like wheat in a field.

The calvary surged forward, and Jiang Wei was forced to pull back. He had failed, again...

_But soon he would return, and when he did, no Wei tactician could stop him from earning the sweet victory he rightfully deserved._

* * *

1. Technically, Ma Dai killed Wei Yan, so he shouldn't be around right now. I never felt that Jiang Wei or Wei Yan would be able to work together. Not to worry, Wei Yan will never betray Shu, even if he has to watch Wei slowly crush their army before Jiang Wei's brain finally realizes his errors.

(**SPOILER WARNING**: In The Stuttering Stallion: Blazing A Trail, Wei Yan will return under Shu's command, but he will not be in Jiang Wei's unit. Instead, someone you wouldn't expect to be in Shu will be his commander instead. Ma Dai's health will also improve dramatically, and he'll become a much more important character in that fic. Once this fic is completed, or when I get excited enough, I'll be releasing it.)

2. This note is related to the above spoiler. If you are a major Shu-ist, I advise you stop here and wait for Blazing A Trail, as it will give Shu far greater results. Personally, I hope you continue on with this fic, even though your beloved kingdom will eventually fall, as that is what happened in history. This note will be the branching point between the main tale and the side story, both of which will determine different results for Shu and Wei.

Also, on another note, historically Sima Shi dethroned Cao Fang and set up Cao Mao, and then Sima Zhao killed Cao Mao, with Chen Tai figuring out and dying as I recorded. However, because Sima Shi died so early in this fic, Cao Fang was the one to suffer from Sima Zhao's plan.


	18. Seeing Only Red

Author's note: Forgive me for the shortness of this chapter, but with finals coming up, I've decided to leave a quick update just to reassure you guys that, yes, I am still working on this fic... But there honestly isn't much left except a few more defeats of Jiang Wei, the coming of age of Deng Zhong, and Deng Ai's / Zhong Hui's final assault on Shu...

Chapter 18: Seeing Only Red

He moaned, the spear still lodged deep in his chest.

The green clad officer looked above him. The sky was blue, and so welcoming, but the great pain he felt made it difficult for him to stay content for long.

He looked to his left, and to his right, and saw more green-clad fellows. Arrows, spears, swords of all kinds were lodged in their bodies, too, and many of these people were no longer moving. He heard faint moans, groans, even a cry for help, but none of these were answered.

_No one was left to care..._

He closed his eyes, and remembered...

* * *

Jiang Wei wanted a victory, no matter what.

Xiahou Ba warned him of the consequences.

Ma Dai heard of his defeat, and died praying to the heavens for Shu's survival. The pained look on his face terrified the ministers who buried him, and Fei Yi, the first to see the corpse, did what he could to convince Jiang Wei to pull back, but Boyue refused, and ordered his men to press on.

"We've taken too many casualties... It would be best if we were to regroup and attempt to restore our supplies before moving out." Xiahou Ba spoke.

"Why are you whining? We need to take them by surprise! The Wei army must be smug, thinking that we'll be routed and unable to strike them again. They will grow lax, and thus we must strike now! We must catch them completely off guard and rout those bastards! Only then can we avenge the Han!"

"General... We cannot hope to continue with so few supplies..."

"Then we'll retake them from the Wei bastards who stole them from us!"

"But..."

"Are you a servant of the Han?"

"Yes..."

"Then you shall march forward and help me kill traitors." Jiang Wei smiled sweetly. "Onward, men! We march for glory!"

* * *

With his troops encamped on the mountains just south of Chen Cang, Deng Ai sighed when Jiang Wei's banner came into view.

"Does that man ever learn?" He asked Sima Wang.

Zichu shook his head and sighed. "I wonder how Xiahou Ba feels now... With so many of his new comrades killing themselves and getting routed, will he return to our ranks?..."

Deng Ai glanced at Zichu worriedly, but in a few seconds Sima Wang corrected himself. "Oh, right... My uncle would kill him if he did... Zhongquan is probably one of the most unfortunate souls of our age..." (1.)

At this point Jiang Wei's army nearly got over the summit, but Shizai's archers, stationed on the summit, immediately fired upon them. Boyue's forward scouts were the first to get slaughtered, and as the survivors began to retreat, the Shu calvary, hearing their allies getting shot down, immediately charged forward and ran over nearly half of their fleeing comrades. Upon seeing this, all the Wei army could do was sigh and shake their heads in sympathy...

* * *

With spear raised high, Jiang Wei entered the fray. Xiahou Ba could only sigh as the rest of the army ran after him. "These men have gone mad... They are so fixated on their goal that they fail to see the things around them... Something must be done... Someone has to talk to Jiang Wei about these reckless and idiotic acts of suicide... But why can't I do anything about this?!" Zhongquan groaned to the heavens.

Shizai stepped forward as Boyue raised his spear. "Who is the commander here?" The Shu general yelled.

"Deng Shizai." One of Deng Ai's lieutenants answered.

"I challenge you to a duel!"

Before Shizai could respond, Shi Zuan rode out. "You challenge someone to a duel? I assume you mean me!"

"Who are you?"

"Shi Zuan! Van Leader of Deng Ai's army! Come forward and engage me, coward!"

"How dare you! I am Jiang Wei, now the greatest Han commander there is, since Prime Minister Zhuge Kongming is dead. You, pathetic cretin, shall die this day!"

Shi Zuan and Jiang Wei rode at each other, exchanging forty bouts, with neither man backing down.

Finally, Boyue realized that his opponent was far more skilled than he thought. Turning his horse, he fled, and Shi Zuan pursued him.

"You call yourself a Han champion, and you flee from battle?"

"Actually, you've fallen for my trap!" Jiang Wei pulled out a crossbow with the bolt already loaded. He aimed behind him, and fired, sending the bolt heading straight for Shi Zuan's heart.

Shi Zuan reared his horse, and caught the bolt as it flew towards him. "Was that the best you could do?" Shi Zuan laughed, but by then Jiang Wei had already fled deep into the Shu line.

The Shu soldiers were quickly demoralized, and as they considered fleeing, Zhang Yi rode before them. "Men of Wei, I challenge one of your officers to a duel!" He shouted, hoping that, by winning, he'd improve the morale of his men.

"I, Yang Xin, shall accept your challenge!" Yang Xin rode forward.

The two men quickly began their fight, but as the duel drew on both men were becoming exhausted. Finally, Zhang Yi watched the sweat run down Yang Xin's face, and panted aloud. "Why... don't we... call this a draw?..."

"Sure..." Yang Xin gasped, lowering his spear.

Both men dropped their halberds on the ground, dismounted, and bowed low in front of each other. "You are a skilled warrior... I have much to learn from you." Zhang Yi smiled.

"Likewise." Yang Xin nodded, and the two men returned to their respective lines.

With the tie in place, the Shu army still felt no better, as now they had an exhausted commander in their ranks and a coward for a supreme commander. Zhang Yi tried to get Xiahou Ba to fight, but he refused. "We've lost, there's no denying it. It would be best for us to retreat and gather supplies. Better living and fighting once more than dying pointlessly here." Xiahou Ba sighed.

Jiang Wei growled. "For us to lose now would be a sin! All units, charge!"

"Everyone, get to position! We're going to finish them off like we did last time!" Shi Zuan yelled before Shizai could make his order.

* * *

Once again, Shu horsemen found themselves skewered on the ends of pikes, and soon the Shu infantry began to flee at the sight of their colleagues getting shish-kabobed. As Xiahou Ba led most of the survivors home, Jiang Wei insisted on standing his ground, going so far as to drag Zhang Yi into it. "We are not cowards or false loyalists like Xiahou Ba! We shall fight these Wei traitors to the end, men!" Jiang Wei yelled over their fallen friend's groans.

But the Wei onslaught proved vicious, hacking Shu soldiers apart left and right. In desperation, Zhang Yi had his own unit flee and follow Xiahou Ba, while Jiang Wei stayed... Deng Ai decided that enough was enough, this demented comedy skit had gone too far, and he ordered his archers to cover the sky with their arrows, forcing Jiang Wei to flee. As Jiang Wei ran, Shizai ordered his mounted calvary to pursue and shoot Jiang Wei's unit down to the last man. If Jiang Wei lost every man around him, perhaps then he'd stay in Shu and thus no more people would have to suffer in vain... It was a horrible price to pay for peace indeed, but Shizai was more than willing to pay that price if it meant that such pain would not have to resurface again.

The stench of dead bodies filled Jiang Boyue's nose, and as he passed the Shu border he turned and yelled at the top of his lungs: "Traitors! Murderers! One day the great Han Army will return and kill every single one of you! Only then can we restore the Han and stamp out rebellion! Prepare yourselves for that day, you filthy bastards!"

After listening to that tirade, Deng Ai sighed, dropping his sword on the ground and collapsing on his knees. How many times would it take before this madness would end?

* * *

1. Zhongquan is Xiahou Ba's style name.


	19. His Last Stand

Apologies for the extremely short chapter, but, to be perfectly honest, I'm sick and tired of writing about Jiang Wei's utterly pathetic stubbornness. I want to get to the invasion of Shu and the end of this madness once and for all. Thus, I wrote this short chapter for Jiang Wei's last invasion of Wei. I hope you'll stick around for the Fall of Shu... Otherwise, well, you can expect better quality in Blazing a Trail, as I find that fic to be much more fun than this one now.

* * *

Chapter 19: His Last Stand

From every corner of the Shu Empire, men were forced to come. Ministers Fei Yi, Dong Yun, and Jiang Wan protested again and again, but the Regent Marshall would not listen. That, and Huang Hao, the Emperor's favorite eunuch and confidant, convinced Emperor Liu Chan that Jiang Wei's valiant efforts were forcing Wei to rethink their plans to conquer Shu. In the face of such tenacity, who or what would dare attack?

Jiang Wei raised his spear this day, believing that Han would be restored with this move. Deng Ai would die, along with that retinue of dirty traitors who accompanied him. Deng Ai would die and with his death no one could stop Boyue's great tactics as he'd slowly reconquer these lands of Han.

So his men headed out, their leader proud and confident. Shu and Wei would engage each other in combat once again, and once again seas of people would fall before the rage of war.

Deng Ai and Jiang Wei, perhaps in a better time these two men would have been close friends. Had the nation been united under a truly benevolent banner, perhaps men like them and Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang would be sitting under a willow tree, each man holding a cup of tea and joyously singing the songs of old, perhaps they'd watch the changing seasons and discuss the various turmoils within history, while celebrating the fact that men like them would not have to witness such horrors or, heaven forbid, face each other in bloody combat.

But stories like those only exist in fairy tales.

* * *

An arrow struck Zhang Yi in the chest, and he went down.

Xiahou Ba let out a howl as a javelin pierced his shoulder. All around him, Shu warriors fell by the dozens before well-placed halberdiers and archers. This Wei ambush proved far more devastating than Deng Ai thought possible.

It all began when Jiang Wei, ever confident and stubborn, marched straight into Xie Gu pass, thinking he could break through Wei's defenses and, like the Prime Minister Zhuge Liang before him, enter the Wuzhang plains and strike the Wei fort at Fu Feng.

But Shizai would not let him enter the Wuzhang plains, nor would Shizai let him get any deeper into Wei. Sun Tzu and Sun Bin both emphasized the defensive strategy of luring the enemy deeper into one's territory, making it difficult for the enemy to find his way back home once one ambushed him, but Shizai, seeing how Jiang Wei would not let the people of Fu Feng live in peace, decided to strike then and now, annihilating the vast strike force of Shu before it had a chance to "kill traitors."

Swinging his spear, Shi Zuan plunged into the sea of enemy warriors, hacking away at limbs and flesh as he tried to cut a path to Jiang Wei himself. Blood no longer fazed him, for he'd seen so much of it in his career as a warrior. No, here he was protecting Wei. If heaven would damn him and send him into the realm of the seven hells, so be it. At least he died making sure that Wei's people would not suffer at the hands of Jiang Wei, even if the people of Shu had to suffer dearly for his own actions.

Deng Ai, too, slashed away at enemy troops. As Jiang Wei's force began to get disrupted after seeing so many of their own men fall, Jiang Wei stepped forward and issued a challenge. "Cowards of Wei, come and face me in battle!"

A young man, hardly over twenty, stepped out of Shizai's lines to accept the challenge. Above him, the Deng banner waved, and Jiang Wei was quite surprised. "So Deng Ai is actually such a young man. It's amazing that Wei has such a young talent in its ranks. No matter, now this neophyte will die by my spear." Jiang Wei raised his weapon and rode forward.

The boy rose his own spear and charged in kind, and, after exchanging thirty bouts, Jiang Wei found himself quite exhausted. But Jiang Wei was not one to accept defeat, and when the boy made one additional thrust with his spear, Jiang Wei grabbed the pole and pulled it towards him, thus disarming his opponent and forcing the lad to flee.

And as the lad fled, Jiang Wei pursued. "What a pity." He laughed, thinking he had won, when Deng Ai appeared from within the Wei ranks.

"Jiang Wei, you fool! Stop pursing my son and face a true veteran instead!" Deng Ai yelled, making Jiang Wei quite shocked.

"So... So that boy is Shizai's son?"

Xiahou Ba squinted his eyes, placing his hand on his bandaged shoulder. "I've heard that Deng Ai's firstborn is called Deng Zhong, and that may have been the lad you fought just now."

Jiang Wei blinked, still in shock. "That boy's skill with the spear is far better than many of my own veterans. I doubt if Zhang Yi would stand a chance against him."

Zhang Yi's eyes widened at the suggestion. "I'm right here, you know!" He reminded his commander with ruffled feathers.

"So, will you face me, or what?" Deng Ai crossed his arms.

"No, you are an unworthy opponent. All units, destroy these traitors!" Jiang Wei rose his spear and let out a roar, rushing forward to skewer as many foes as possible.

Deng Ai sighed. "Archers, strike them with Firebolts, now. Artillery, fire!"

Flame arrows struck the advancing Shu lines, sending waves of men screaming and fleeing, their bodies aflame and letting the smell of burnt flesh fill the air. Artillery flew over the Shu lines and smashed their camps, forcing the Shu army to retreat even further.

As can be expected, the warriors of Wei could not celebrate as waves of Shu troops were burned alive in front of them. Furthermore, the mass retreat of Shu's armies, to the point where some troops crushed others with their pounding feet, made Deng Ai lament the fact that he even thought that this invading army would be a threat in the first place. Shu's last stand was pathetic indeed, and soon enough Deng Ai would return the favor. The madness had to end, and for it to end Shu had to be destroyed...


	20. All Good Things

Chapter 20: All Good Things...

"General Deng Ai, your recent victory over Jiang Wei has allowed us to realize how weak Shu truly is. Thus, we ask that you end the madness now by preparing an invasion of the nation of Shu. If we reach Chengdu as soon as possible, then Shu shall be no more." Sima Zhao spoke with a smile.

Deng Ai nodded solemnly, his eyes glaring deep into Sima Zhao's own.

"I will send General Zhong Hui with you. You will not shoulder this burden alone." Sima Zhao nodded, returning the stare.

Deng Ai nodded again, yet somehow his rage seemed like a joke to Sima Zhao.

Shizai walked out of that room with a slight pout, but Zhongda's son only threw his head back and laughed.

"This man, Deng Shizai, is nothing but a whipped dog. Yes, he hates me for killing Chen Xuanbo, yet he doesn't make a single move to strike me. He's lived almost half a century without giving his life any true meaning. Chen Tai knew how to end his life, how to stand for what he believed in to the end, yet this foolish boy cannot. I can sleep soundly tonight." Sima Zhao burst out laughing once more, letting the man who hated him move forward to achieve his bidding.

* * *

Zhong Hui and Deng Ai met at Fortress Chencang.

"So, peasant, it seems we've got a similar goal to accomplish. The pathetic nation of Shu must be destroyed in order to ensure Wei's superiority... However to achieve this we'll have to strike several areas at once, as those idiots might be able to repel us if we use one unified assault." Zhong Hui spoke gallantly.

Deng Ai sighed. "Enough with the useless talk. Here, let's get a battle map." Deng Ai pulled out a scroll from the annals and placed it on a table.

"Hanzhong is the main fortress of Shu. It is the doorway to capital Chengdu, and when it falls, at worst, for us at least, Shu will be badly crippled if it is able to repel any further attacks. However, considering the amount of resources Hanzhong yields, Shu will be virtually finished within two years if they fail to retake that city.

"That is why, friends, it is critical that we take the city, but that will not be easy, as Jiang Wei will obviously be defending it with his life... But there is one point in Shu's border where we can catch them off guard." Deng Ai smirked.

"And where would that be?" Zhong Hui asked with raised eyebrows.

Deng Ai smiled. "The Yinping mountains, and Ta Zhong. From there we can strike deep into the heart of Shu."

Zhong Hui stared at Shizai. "Are you an idiot? The troops might be there for our use, but even then losing too many would weaken your position. Those mountains are treacherous, and extremely difficult to cross. It'll be a fools decision to march along those old paths."

"So what other advice will you give? If Shu continues to own the two territories of Hanzhong and Jiangzhou, it will still be able to fend off any attacks from us, as both territories yield massive amounts of resources. Being in a basin, Capital Chengdu can only yield so much. Since Wu is Shu's ally, we won't be able to convince them to help take Jiangzhou, and because of that we're stuck with taking Hanzhong head on. Running headfirst into a brick wall is a foolish strategy, therefore I'm advising you to strike while I slip through a crack to slash away at them. What do you suggest we do?" Deng Ai sighed.

"Well..." Zhong Hui scratched his chin. "Fine, you head through the mountains, and I'll strike Hanzhong. Hopefully one of us will be able to crush Jiang Wei."

Shizai smirked as he walked to his post. "That fool has no idea how critical those mountains are, does he? He'll be the one who has to deal with Jiang Wei, while I'll take on minimal resistance once I get across the Yinping peaks."

* * *

More troops poured into the Hanzhong region as Jiang Wei prepared himself for another assault.

"Once I move through the Wuzhang plains and liberate Chen Cang, I will be able to use the supplies there to help liberate my hometown! Tian Shui shall be lifted from rebel hands soon!" Jiang Wei smiled at the thought.

"General... You're getting delirious..." Xiahou Ba facepalmed. He wondered if the act of running off to Shu was the right thing to do after all. Would Wu have been a better choice?

"Zhang Yi, tell General Liao Hua to increase the number of troops heading from Jiangzhou to this area. I want as many troops as our nation can spare, for if we don't strike now, the rebels will merely grow stronger." Jiang Wei barked, forcing Zhang Yi to comply and scamper off.

"And if we attack, we'll be even weaker." Xiahou Ba sighed to himself. It didn't look like Jiang Wei cared about his opinion, after all.

* * *

Zhong Hui's troops approached the great Wei river, only to find Shu troops swimming across.

"Damn, they've reached our position first. General, we must retreat!" Xiahou Ba called Jiang Wei.

"Pah, and break our momentum now? All units, surge past this blasted river and kill those traitors!"

Zhong Hui smirked, and ordered his archers to fire at the helpless, waterlogged Shu soldiers. The arrows pierced them all over as they flailed about, and soon, without Xiahou Ba telling them to do so, they started to flee back towards Hanzhong.

"What are you doing? Cowards! Stay and fight! No... I have too few brave men... They do outnumber us. Very well, fall back and regroup at Hanzhong!" Jiang Wei ordered as his soldiers retreated.

"When we're still fine, without any problems, he refuses to listen to my advice, but once a crisis starts, and we're pretty much dead, then he starts to bellow out what I just said, as though it's his genius plan that he thought up in a few seconds... Why do I even bother working with these people?" Xiahou Ba groaned as he ran with the rest of the soldiers.

* * *

Deng Ai's troops crawled up the steep mountain slopes. It would take some time for Wei's finest to go over the Yinping mountains and reach Chengdu.

Shizai sighed as he trudged along. Here he was, doing exactly what Xuanbo would not have wanted him to do: slaving away on behalf of Sima Zhao's ambitions. But Xuanbo was also a man of Wei, and Deng Ai had to fight for Wei no matter what, so now that he was destroying Wei's sworn enemy there should be no reason why Chen Tai would object to this...

He turned his head to the side, and spotted some writing.

"Wait a minute, what is this?" Shizai stepped forward, quite curious as to why there would be writing here. As if on cue, Zichu looked over his shoulder to read along.

_This stone is a message of the Prime Minister:_

"_Two fires were just founded; armies pass by here. Two soldiers compete; both soon die."_

Shizai was shocked by Kongming's foresight, despite having taken so many casualties in the war against Zhongda. With head bowed, he spoke: "Now I see why Jiang Wei was so proud to be your disciple..."

But Zichu was not so reverent. "Such an omen bodes ill, Shizai. 'Tis not a wise idea to praise it."

"You're just being paranoid." Deng Ai waved his hand. "It may be a prediction, but that could easily refer to Jiang Wei and Zhong Hui. I don't think Sima Wang's the kind of man to be scared easily."

"Well, still..." Sima Wang gulped. He had a really bad feeling about those words.

* * *

_Fire..._

It covered the land around him, and the sky turned grey from the smoke. Hundreds of screams filled the night air as Jiang Wei's armies fled Hanzhong. Zhong Hui's firebolts and their flames had taken from the Shu warriors the greatest city of the Shu Han Empire, the city that surpassed capital Chengdu itself... The city from which the great Empire of Han first arose.

Hanzhong had fallen, and Jiang Wei ran with his men, ran from the burning city with tears in his eyes...

_But Zhong Hui chased them, chased them as far as he could, until a distraction appeared..._

Jiang Wei and his green clad warriors rushed ahead for Saber Pass, when a strangely unkempt man appeared before him. He wore green armor and carried a long spear.

Jiang Wei blinked, unable to believe what he was seeing. "Wei Yan?" He asked timidly.

Wei Yan nodded. "Run,... Run... Back... To... Base,... Learn... From... Your... Mistakes,... Make... A... Great... Plan,... And... Avenge... Us... All..."

"But, Wenchang..."

"You... Did... Not... Listen... Now... Friend... Ma... Dai... Is... Dead... Soon... I... Will... Fall... But... You... Must... Live... And... Stop... Wei..."

"Yes, that is what I will do... The Han will survive this day, and many days hereafter. Thank you, Wenchang, for your loyalty..." Jiang Wei kneeled before the disgraced general. "I have wronged you beyond what can be forgiven..."

"But... That... Doesn't... Matter... Anymore..." Wei Yan smiled. "Now... Go!..."

Jiang Wei nodded, and the Shu army ran off, with Wei Yan standing steadfast behind them.

* * *

Though his men began to starve, and were totally exhausted, Shizai, Zichu, Deng Zhong, Shi Zuan, and Yang Xin slowly approached Jiang You. That city had enough supplies to feed his surviving soldiers, and Deng Ai knew that they had gone this far. Turning back was practically suicide, so all they could do was march on.

And now, now nothing could stop them. With the majority of Shu's army routed and/or in a panic due to Zhong Hui's critical victory, Jiang Wei's unit in Saber Pass prepared themselves for the worst, and perhaps the end of Shu was truly near... Kongming's dream might finally come to an end.


	21. Must Come to an End

Chapter 21: Must Come To An End

Ma Miao never expected much from life.

He'd finally gained the rank of Governor of Jiangyou, this city just behind the vast Yinping mountain range, and since he controlled an entire city, he thought that life would be peaceful. He'd just collect taxes, send a few to the Shu Imperial Court every now and then, and train some soldiers in case Capital Chengdu wanted troops sent to Hanzhong or Baidicheng. He never thought that his job would be difficult at all.

But he was dead wrong.

There were hardly over 1500 troops stationed in Jiangyou's fort. Emperor Liu Chan had ordered Ma Miao to send reinforcements to Hanzhong, and they did, forcing about 4000 of Jiangyou's young men to go to fight.

Then a few merchants who were trading with the scattered tribes of the mountains came down, declaring that an army was marching from the north to take Chengdu.

Ma Miao knew that 1500 troops could do little to stop any notable force, so he decided to surrender.

His wife, Li Liang, heard him discuss their surrender terms with the commanding officer of Jiangyou's troops, some Lieutenant who'd moved from Ta Zhong after the city had been seized from Shu's hands not long ago. (1.)

Lady Li was furious at the suggestion. How could her husband be such a worthless coward?

"You've been a Shu officer for how long, now? For years you've been living peacefully in this city, slowly earning cash and living a peaceful life. Now the enemy has come to destroy Shu, and instead of doing your duty to your country and fighting the enemy or evacuating the city and alerting the Capital, regrouping at Fortress Mianzhu, you instead surrender so eagerly. How do you expect me to look at filth like you? Bastard..." Turning her head, she marched into her inner chamber.

Ma Miao sighed. That foolish women did not know the times, and thus she would have been raped had Ma Miao and this tiny escort tried to escape to the south. Ma Miao knew what had to be done, so he led the troops out to surrender to the enemy commander.

Deng Ai spotted the enemy commander march out with a white banner, and smirked. "See, men? We've caught them off guard." With Sima Wang by his side, he accepted Ma Miao's surrender terms.

But just when the Wei army started to enter the city, a servant ran to tell Ma Miao that his wife had committed suicide. Shizai was curious as to why this would happen, so Ma Miao told him about Lady Li.

When he heard her tale, Shizai sighed. "If she was the commander of this position, I fear I might have been trapped between the legions of Shu and those mighty mountains... I would have been finished..."

With that said, Lady Li Liang received a hero's funeral.

* * *

Rocks smashed against their walls, but Jiang Wei and his troops remained hopeful. "His majesty will send ample reinforcements soon. All he needs is to gather resources from Jiangzhou, and we shall retake Hanzhong! Shu will not fall!" Zhang Yi continued to read from his commander's script.

Jiang Wei shook his head. "Xiahou Ba... Is this not hilarious, how the loyal men of Han are being defeated by these traitors? Zhongquan?" Jiang Wei turned to look at his advisor...

And Xiahou Ba was hanging from the ceiling of the Han lookout post, his head having turned quite blue from being choked by his belt.

* * *

Deng Ai entered the Fort of Mianzhu, noticing that there were no enemy forces in the area...

And he was dead wrong.

"Lord Zhuge Zhan, they've entered the fort... I see only a dozen or so soldiers outside of Mianzhu, but they'll probably get wiped out quickly by our troops." Zhang Zun spoke.

"Then we shall annihilate them. Catapults, FIRE!" The son of Zhuge Liang ordered.

Now the Wei army found themselves shelled quite hopelessly, trapped within the rickety, ancient fort. But not for long...

Yang Xin had not entered the fort, for both were uncertain why there wouldn't be any troops in it. Deng Ai, having gotten cocky thanks to Ma Miao's quick surrender, entered the fort with his son, Deng Zhong, his friend, Shi Zuan, and his strategist and best friend, Sima Wang.

General Yang, noting the various catapult rounds smacking the fort from every known direction, decided to call in their own artillery, hidden to the north. When they came, he had them fire right where the other shells were coming from, and, so simply, the Shu effort was defeated. (2.)

Deng Ai emerged from the fort. Shaking his head, and exhausted, he marched to the capital of Chengdu...

Only to see a large, white flag waving over the city.

"I, Emperor Liu Chan, hereby surrender to you, General Deng Ai." Liu Chan announced.

But Deng Ai was still three kilometers away, his troops slowly lugging along, hoping that they'd find something to eat when this was all over.

Upon seeing Liu Chan's flag, Shizai smiled. It seemed that all was over for the Shu cause...

* * *

Xiahou Ba's suicide did not go lightly in Jiang Wei's eyes.

He slept with nightmares, that night, while stones continued to hit their wall. Few things could faze this determined Han loyalist, but this was one of them.

Finally, a messenger came from Emperor Liu Chan himself, making the announcement that the Emperor had surrendered to General Deng Ai.

Jiang Wei was honestly speechless, and when the green flag was replaced with a captured blue one, Zhong Hui decided to cease his attack and talk to Jiang Wei.

"I cannot believe that peasant got the better of me..."

"Neither can I. Who can willingly admit that their nation was destroyed by him?"

"I... I must win in the end... The Zhong family must be given honor!"

"Well, I know of one way you can earn your honor, beyond that what Deng Ai could ever hope for..."

"And what would that be?" Zhong Hui asked.

"Taking the throne for yourself." Jiang Wei answered.

And both men smiled.

* * *

Deng Ai slowly approached Hanzhong, hoping to celebrate with Zhong Hui despite their old feud. The war was over and peace could prevail.

When, suddenly, Tian Xu appeared before him. "General! I have a message to convey!"

"What is it?" Deng Ai asked. He and his son were the only two who went to meet with Shiji, as Zichu and the others had to settle things in Chengdu.

"You... Shall die for what you have done!" Tian Xu yelled as he swung his spear. In seconds, Deng Ai was cut down, and as Deng Zhong charged forward, spear in hand, a series of archers from behind immediately opened fire, and Deng Zhong went down.

These men of Wei were beginning to reconsider their allegiance, and Zhong Hui was proud of them.

"Deng Ai has been outwitted, friend, and now we can witness a new age!" Zhong Hui laughed.

"Yes..." Jiang Wei mumbled. Once Zhong Hui was on the throne, he'd betray him, and, after killing him, reinstate Emperor Liu Chan. The Han had to continue ruling, despite this little intermission.

But as the two men approached Chengdu, the archers that marched by their side were suddenly cut down by waves of mounted calvary, men who were pouring in from the rear.

Zhong Hui and Jiang Wei turned, and each of them were cut down in turn.

Wei Guan, Sima Zhao's most trusted general, ran over their bodies several times with his horse. "Thus always to traitors!" He declared, smiling.

* * *

Sima Wang, upon hearing that Deng Ai was slain, disappeared. None of the Wei or Jin officers could find him, despite Wang being Sima Yi's nephew.

Shi Zuan and Yang Xin, infuriated with the death of their commander, gathered their troops in Chengdu and mounted an attack on Wei Guan. Without a decent strategist to guide them, they were both slain.

Sima Zhao immediately executed Deng Ai's youngest son, Deng Fang. Shizai's second son, Deng Qiu, a royal clerk, also met his end, but Chen Wen was able to rescue his sister and her surviving children, along with many of his nephews and nieces. Those girls who married Deng Ai's sons also found solace in his home, and since he'd served Wei so faithfully, Sima Zhao dared not kill him due to fear that his own strategists, such as Shao Ti, would rebel.

* * *

A river flows along, taking many grains of sand along with it.

In this river of time, Deng Ai, Jiang Wei, Zhong Hui, these men are all grains of sand, and they too were eventually swept away.

Yet, unlike mere sand grains, their trials will never be forgotten. For, in the end, there will always be that little crab on the riverbed who will pick them up and cherish them forever.

_FIN_

* * *

1. Li Liang is a pseudonym. Liang is not a commonly used word that means "fruit," as fruit is normally known as "Shui Guo" in Chinese. Unfortunately, back then women were hardly considered in China, and for that reason Lady Li has no officially given name...

2. Simple? Boring? Course. That's how Shu died (no offense to Shuists). They all just surrendered to Deng Ai with Zhuge Zhan trying to fight them off and failing miserably.

Aqua's Final Note: I had intended to include a Stat ranking for each of the officers portrayed here, since the ROTK game series gives them unfair stats, or my portrayal of the characters is quite different than how they were historically. However, due to time constraints (and laziness), I will include them in Blazing a Trail, which is still in progress.

If this chapter seemed very lackluster, it is because I am exhausted. I am human, and completing this fic, a story that has a depressing ending, is tiring for me, because I hate depressing endings.

With that said, I hope you've enjoyed your stay so far, and I highly recommend you read Blazing a Trail, if you haven't already... That fic will have a much higher quality than the previous fic, and if that is not true, then you have the right to sue.

So long, farewell, I hate to say goodbye...

_Goodbye..._


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